project overview

MIDTOWN MEMPHIS CROSSWALKS | Midtown

Artist: Khara Woods

Budget: $14,000 (includes $4000 design honorarium and $10,000 for fabrication)

Upcoming benchmark/update: Design Proposal

BACKGROUND

About Midtown

Memphis is known for Music and Midtown is home to many iconic music venues. It is also the home of historic neighborhoods such as Overton Square, Cooper-Young, Broad Avenue Arts District, and Crosstown Concourse. Visitors are drawn to The Memphis Zoo, Overton Park, and the Overton Park Shell. Midtown is a collection of local restaurants, shops for anything from vinyl records to made in Memphis fashion, theatres for movies, and plays, musicals, and art gallery and exhibition spaces – all of which inspire some of the city’s signature events and festivals.

SCOPE OF WORK

Preferred Sculpture Location: Intersection of Madison and Avalon Street

UAC and the City of Memphis is commissioning artist Khara Woods to design two distinct crosswalks that highlights Midtown’s unique culture and residents. The preferred location for the two crosswalks is at the intersection of Madison and Avalon Street, particularly on the East side of Madison and the North side of Avalon.

The selection committee has expressed interest in crosswalks that:

• Will include civic pride messages such as “Heartbeat of Memphis”, “Midtown Memphis”, or “Midtown is Memphis”

• Pays homage to this part of Midtown known for its food, music, and entertainment

• Create a sound wave image to dominate the crosswalk and/or; 

• Create symbols that could represent music notes, music instruments, dinner plates, food, entertainment, and restaurants.

• Includes the following colors- deep lilac, inchworm, Kauai, and Sienna

SELECTION COMMITTEE 

• Emily Bishop- President, Midtown Memphis

• William Ezzell- City of Memphis Bikeway and  Pedestrian Program Manager

• Demarius Green- Manager,  Madison Midtown Apartments

• Rick James- Owner, Cash Saver

• Karen Lebovitz - Vice President, Midtown Memphis

• Cory Likens- Manager, Minglewood Hall

• Izzy Robinson- Resident

• Jeanne Seagle- Artist

• Joy Touliatos- City of Memphis Deputy Director of Public Works

• Shannon Williams- Resident

• *Public Vote: Collected public votes will serve as one additional selection committee vote for the final selected artist following the submission of proposals from project finalists.

About Artist:

Khara Woods

Khara Woods is a multidisciplinary artist and graphic designer based in Memphis, TN. Her studio practice includes abstract geometric paintings, wood assemblage, and public art projects, including murals and community engagement initiatives.

Her work has recently been exhibited at Sheet Cake Gallery and Crosstown Arts in Memphis, Red 225 Gallery in Nashville, the Hilliard Art Museum at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the Beverly + Sam Ross Gallery at Christian Brothers University in Memphis.

Since 2015, Woods has created murals and public art for numerous organizations, including the Memphis Public Library’s Cornelia Crenshaw branch (2017) and the City of Memphis’ Office of Comprehensive Planning (2023). In 2019, she was commissioned by Mural Arts Philadelphia to design a large-scale data visualization mural for Uptown Memphis as part of their Arts & Environment Initiative.

In 2025, she will debut her first solo exhibition in Augusta, GA, opening April 4th at Westobou, and is currently developing a large-scale outdoor installation for the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, set to open in mid-April.