Etam Crue

1011 W. Grace St.

Second Place: GRTC Bus Depot

Third Place: Ed Trask’s Ellwood Floodwall Cable Car

Was there ever any doubt? Thanks to Polish artists Sainer and Betz, better known as Etam Cru, this striking mural next to a 7-Eleven, part of the Richmond Mural Project, drew buzz from far corners. Bright colors heighten the surrealistic image showing the attenuated figure of a naked girl sitting in a jar filled with strawberry jam. In typical Etam Cru style, our lady of the bath is accompanied by the artists’ leitmotifs: a rubber duck, sparrow and skull symbol, making for an arresting composition. The good news is they’ll be returning for another mural this year. The continuing saga of the GRTC’s former bus depot murals, a striking site east of the Boulevard on Cary Street, are a strong indicator that locals want to see the depot open to visitors more regularly. Hometown favorite Ed Trask takes third with a nod to Richmond’s trolley history, the mural a welcome greeting for those coming off the Pipeline Trail.