Charley Harper Mural in the Federal Building Downtown

Charley Harper designed a large mosaic mural for the John Weld Peck Federal Building at 550 Main St. in downtown Cincinnati. To see it, you just have to go through security [who seem unhappy about people photographing it, but are probably used to it by now].

45 thoughts on “Charley Harper Mural in the Federal Building Downtown”

  1. Dan says:

    I love the mural but it seems an odd location. Oh well. I’d like to see some public art in a Cincinnati Park to honor Harper in some way. But that’s just me . . . I’ll take what we have.

  3. visualingual says:

    Dan, I wish Harper’s cardinal were on the Ohio license plate or on a postage stamp or something. I’d love to see him commemorated locally as well, but that’s probably up to his son.

    Drew, you can kind of see the mural from the sidewalk. I highly, highly recommend checking it out the next time you’re downtown!

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  15. Amy C says:

    this is awesome, I totally walked right in front of this building and saw the mural and stood and gazed at it for a while I just presumed I wasn’t allowed inside. Thanks for stopping by ….. next time I will venture inside with my camera.

  16. visualingual says:

    It’s open to the public [during weekday business hours]. You just have to go through security, which is a bit intimidating. Harper did a similar-ish mosaic mural at Miami University, in one of the science buildings, but I haven’t seen that one in person.

  19. visualingual says:

    I’m glad you both like it! As far as I’ve been able to research this project, it was Harper’s first-ever mosaic mural, completed during the late 1960s. It’s really a wonderful surprise to spot it right by the elevators in this government building.

  21. visualingual says:

    There’s another mosaic mural of his in Cincinnati that has been covered up [but not destroyed, thankfully]. It’s in the Convention Center, and I’ve heard that there’s now a push to uncover it. There are photos of it in the big book about Charley that was edited by Todd Oldham.

  22. Bill says:

    I’m headed up to Cincinnati for a job the week of Thanksgiving and hope to stop by and see/photograph this mural. Harper’s art has really caught my attention lately – been bidding on old Ford Times magazines with his drawings on eBay.

  24. Tracee Jeannotte says:

    I just visited this mural on a recent business trip to Cincinnati. What a gorgeous work of art. Cheers!

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