Artist of Key Bridge memorial mural in the works for another tribute piece
BALTIMORE -- After completing one mural, the artist behind the Francis Scott Key Bridge memorial has started another one.
The original mural, which pays tribute to the six construction workers who were killed when the bridge collapsed on March 26, has been placed in storage and a Baltimore museum could own it soon.
Recovery divers found the bodies of all six construction workers -- Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Dorlian Castillo Cabrera, Maynor Suazo-Sandoval, Miguel Luna, Jose Lopez and Carlos Hernandez.
Mixing his paints, Roberto Marquez is working to fill a new set of large canvases at the memorial on Thursday.
The original mural is now being stored in a building along Key Highway. When that happened, the victims' families told Marquez they'd like to see another mural for their loved ones.
The artist behind the #KeyBridge memorial has started *another* mural, after putting the original in storage. The original may end up with a Baltimore museum soon, but the deal's yet to be finalized.
— Dennis Valera (@dennisreports) May 30, 2024
Roberto Marquez says the rest of the memorial will likely stay put. pic.twitter.com/Sb2E2mW09O
But Marquez, too, also felt the memorial was missing something after the original mural was taken out.
The crosses, flags, and other elements of the memorial are staying along Fort Armistead Road.
"I was thinking, I cannot leave the crosses alone," Marquez said. "It wasn't going to look good...also there's gonna be like a vacuum, a void."
Original mural to the Baltimore Museum of Industry?
Marquez has been in talks with the Baltimore Museum of Industry to take the original mural, but nothing's been finalized.
In a statement to WJZ, BMI said the mural would be part of a larger collection "to preserve the legacy of the Key Bridge, the Port of Baltimore, and the workers who were lost."
Due to the strain of having to travel back and forth between Dallas, Texas, and Baltimore -- Marquez has been figuring out how to permanently house elements of the memorial.
He also has been looking for others to care for the memorial in his place.
"[This trip], I was gonna come just to finish the original painting, have somebody else manage it, and then I say goodbye," Marquez said.
But, he said he couldn't pass on creating a new mural. The victims' families are helping with the creative direction.
"I changed my flight. I'm gonna move it back as much as I needed, so I can finish this," Marquez said.
Marquez intends to get parts of the new mural into other museums when it's completed, so long as he has the blessing of the victims' families.