New mural coming to downtown La Crosse

Guests and residents alike visiting downtown La Crosse will experience a new piece of public art, meant to bring people of all backgrounds together to create meaningful and enriching interactions.

Emplify Health by Gundersen has commissioned two artists to create a mural on a formerly blank wall that faces Free Range Exchange and the Gundersen Medical Foundation on Third Street. Realizing the importance of art as a means of promoting social cohesion, Emplify believes that community art projects like this create spaces where individuals can connect, share experiences and build relationships. Art transcends differences, uniting people in a shared creative endeavor, thereby fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion.

The artists creating the mural are Neo Medina, a working artist from Kaukauna, Wis., and La Crosse native Chase Gentry, a freelance artist and content creator. Medina is fascinated by the social interaction and community engagement that comes along with public art. He aims to create work that adds brightness and love to the community.

“In this collaborative work, I thought it was important to show the juxtaposition of the city of La Crosse and the beautiful nature that weaves in and out of its landscape,” Medina says. “From the bluffs to the river to the streets of downtown La Crosse, a beautiful day can find you anywhere.”

Gentry specializes in creating original, one-of-a-kind cartoon illustrations with a mix of horror, comedy and general cuteness that stems from the cartoons he grew up watching.

“’Love Lives Here’ is a collaborative project with a goal to give back to the town that raised me,” Gentry says. “La Crosse showed me that love existed and is a town that I always end up coming back to, no matter how far I go. I wanted to create something special that presents itself in different ways to all people, creating stories with unique outcomes for everyone.”

The project took just one week to complete. 

“I am so excited for this project. While there is no single solution for healing the mind or body, the creation, interpretation and contemplation of art can have a powerful, positive impact on ourselves, our neighbors and our community,” says Josh Court, clinical operations director for Behavioral Health at Emplify. “If even for a tiny moment, this mural can pull us away from our current stressors and take us to a safe place where healing can occur, it will be a powerful gift to our city.”