Living Concrete, a graffiti mural event at Oakland Museum of California’s Oak Street Plaza, took place on January 21. The Plaza’s giant blackboard became a canvas for a massive mural by four Oakland graffiti artists: Ras Terms, Safety First, Resta, and Tecka.

The artists painted from 11 am to 5 pm with live DJ music. After listing to music and watching muralists at their craft, there was ample time fto peruse the John Muir exhibition before it closed on January 22nd, and Richard Misrach’s stunning photographs of the 1991 Oakland-Berkeley fire.

The mural design drew upon Oakland’s diversity and history, referencing iconic posters in museum’s political poster collection. Artists Resta and Tecka worked under the mentorship of Ras Terms and Safety First. They used a traditional graffiti style and a combination of brush and aerosol paint.

More information about Oakland Standard can be found here as well as a calendar of upcoming Oakland Standard events.