A landmark mural in downtown Ensley is being restored, bringing new energy to a piece of public art that helped spark a local movement more than a decade ago.
The Color Project Mural Returns
The Color Project mural at 321 19th Street is undergoing a major refresh more than 10 years after its original creation in 2015.
Artist Ukuu Tafari, formerly known as Antjuan Oden, created the large-scale artwork as part of The Color Project Ensley. The mural became a signature piece of the initiative and helped inspire a broader public-art movement in the neighborhood.
DMT, a PS Logistics company and the current building owner, is supporting the restoration.
A Community Effort to Preserve Ensley History
Earlier this year, DMT leader Matt White met with Jessica Latten of We Are Rtists, along with Deidre Clark and Bettina Byrd-Giles of Ensley Alive.
The group originally commissioned the mural. During the meeting, White reaffirmed DMT’s commitment to preserving the artwork and bringing its original character back to the building.
As a result, Tafari returned to Ensley to restore his work. The refreshed mural brings back much of the artwork’s original vibrancy while adding new details.
New Details Honor Ensley’s Legacy
Tafari has added silver and metallic elements that create a different visual effect after dark. The accents can change depending on nearby lighting and passing traffic.
The restoration will also include a poem by the late Brian “Voice” Hawkins, selected by his surviving partner. Hawkins created The Color Project Ensley and played a major role in developing the neighborhood’s public-art movement.
The mural itself honors Tafari’s grandmother, Zula M. Dobynes, who was among Ensley’s early Black women business owners. She operated a wig shop, made clothing, and sold gospel music while raising seven children after her husband’s death.
The restoration preserves that history while giving one of Ensley’s most recognizable murals a renewed presence in the community.
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