As a transplant to Allston, one of the first things I learned about the neighborhood about the was it’s moniker, “Rock City”, due to the neighborhood being the heart of Boston’s rock scene between the 60s and 70s. Since then I have heard others fondly (or maybe not so fondly at times) twisting that nickname into another, “Rat City”. I have seen both scrawled on the sides of buildings and utility boxes in the area and had many run ins with the latter’s creatures. Typically they may be portrayed as undesirable or the worst neighbors, but I tend to take inspiration from them, seeing similarities between how they and the residents of Allston live. Both have strong personalities, they are surviving, and making the best of their time here, with a little bit of flair thrown in.
After living in Austin for years, I have been surrounded with many inspirational murals. My favorites have been minimal and almost hap-hazard taking on the character of a tag. With this mural I wanted to reflect those characteristics and expressively illustrate an iconic image for “Rat City” that also serves to empower others to keep on doing what they enjoy.