MOOSE JAW — Gangster Alphonse (Al) Gabriel Capone has always been considered a larger-than-life character in Moose Jaw, but the Chicago crime boss’ presence here could soon grow again thanks to a building-size mural.
Artist Andrew Robertson approached the public art committee (PAC) in October with a proposal to create an Al Capone-themed mural on the north-side wall of the Hammond Building, according to the group’s recent report to city council.
Creating a massive mural downtown is one of the public art committee’s potential future goals, which chairwoman Jennifer Warren discussed during city council’s recent third-party community group budget meeting.
The committee is asking for $13,500 next year, which is a $1,500 increase over this year.
While Warren didn’t specifically mention Capone — and the committee hasn't committed to it yet — she did say that the committee is “very excited to (potentially) have a very large and stunning piece of art” on a downtown building.
However, PAC knows that this project will be expensive because they must pay the artist, paint and material costs continue to rise and renting scaffolding “is no small thing,” she continued.
The mural would take up all of the Hammond Building’s north wall, starting from where the New Board Shop’s roof meets the structure’s outside wall, Warren added. This means that motorists travelling south on Main Street will be able to see it, along with anyone walking in the area.
Warren also reviewed some of the committee’s other activities this year, which included commissioning several artworks — such as the and — and figuring out where to put murals.
“The public art committee is always trying to find ways to display public art and to haul out things that are in storage … so that more of Moose Jaw can see the art that we do have in our possession,” she said.
Members contacted several businesses to determine if they would allow the committee to install those paintings on their buildings, she continued. Many in-storage murals are massive and require space, so the committee is always searching for ways to showcase them.
Finding a new home for the Chinese mural — in storage since 2019 — has been on the PAC’s agenda for the past two years, and in June, members learned that the Moose Jaw Chinese Community Network was interested in helping relocate the artwork. In September, members approved installing the artwork on the north side of the Jade Garden Restaurant.
However, a month later, the committee learned that the restaurant owner no longer wanted the mural, prompting members to search for other location alternatives.
“The Chinese Community Association actually recently requested that we might look at a new mural opportunity as opposed to putting up the old one,” said Warren. “… they would like to focus on hope and a brighter future with that mural … in a more positive light than the mural that currently exists.”
Warren added that the older Chinese mural will remain in storage until the committee can find another space for it.
The PAC chairwoman also highlighted the fact that members are willing to support the creation of a First Nation-themed mural on the side of the museum and art gallery building in Crescent Park, while they are finalizing the location and wording of a plaque for a new Red River Cart project.
The committee also approved this year’s plan for the maintenance and restoration of murals.
“The amount of effort it takes to maintain them is no small feat. We are so lucky to have people () do that maintenance for a fraction of the cost … ,” Warren said. “When those artists are no longer available to do that work, we will have to start paying quite a bit more to have that done.”
The next budget meeting is in January.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect that while Jennifer Warren did not mention Al Capone by name, the committee's report to council did. We apologize for the confusion.
