A vibrant new mural is taking shape on a wall in northeast Minneapolis, marking the rebirth of public art that was controversially painted over more than a year ago. Artists Gustavo Lira and Xilam Balam are working to restore community spirit through their latest creation outside Qahwah House, a Yemeni coffee shop on Central Avenue.
Standing ten feet up on ladders and lifts, the artists are painting ruby red coffee berries and cupped hands of a farmer, alongside a Western Tanager the size of an elephant. The songbird's head and breast gleam in red, orange and yellow brushstrokes as it rests on the leafy branch of a coffee plant. "It feels like we've been here already, but I'm glad to be back painting it again, so it feels good," Balam says with a laugh.
The positive community response has been overwhelming. "The reaction of the people in this neighborhood driving through, you know, it's been really positive," Lira explains. "People just react very emotional. Oh, I'm glad to see this mural." The artists have spent weeks painting bright colors over a black base coat that had covered their original 2022 mural. Outlines of a loon and a woman in traditional Oaxacan dress from the previous artwork are still faintly visible when light hits the wall at certain angles.
The controversy began in May 2024 when Mohammed Azmi and his partners, the new owners of Qahwah House, painted over what they mistakenly believed was advertising for the previous business. "Erasing a mural was not a good idea, because we are in the arts district," says Lira, who led the original project. "But it was a misunderstanding." The original mural had been funded partly through a city grant from the Great Streets program, one of many such artworks dotting the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District.
Azmi vividly remembers the community backlash that followed. "Most of the neighbors were not happy. They will keep coming and telling me, 'You should not be doing that. We are very upset,'" he recalls. "I did not realize the importance of this mural in the neighborhood." Building owner Tryg Truelson admits he wasn't aware of the mural's significance either. "I certainly learned to be more in tune with what is going on with my property, for sure," Truelson says, promising it won't happen again.
Once the Qahwah House team realized their mistake, Azmi immediately reached out to Lira to make amends. "We are trying to bridge the gaps between the communities, and we don't want a mural to be a part of something that will ruin my mission of bridging those gaps," Azmi explains. For the past year, the two men have been meeting regularly to discuss what happened and negotiate how to make things right.
As part of the reconciliation process, Azmi commissioned Lira to paint an interior mural of Sanaa, Yemen's capital, inside the coffee shop. He also asked Lira to design the new exterior mural inspired by both the coffee house's mission and the artist's own values. The Western Tanager serves as a powerful symbol in the new work. "It's like the bird," Azmi says. "It's a message to all cultures that we are all the same."
Lira explains that the songbird represents migrants and immigrants of all kinds. People and animals alike seek better weather and opportunities, he notes, "a place to survive. It is the right of every human being, or even the natural wild." The mural's right side features outlines of a farmworker in a wide-brimmed hat sifting through coffee beans, drawing inspiration from the Mexican muralist tradition that highlights labor and unions.
"In these times of big technology or artificial intelligence, machines that can create anything, 3D printing or anything, food is still something that comes from the earth that we need to protect and the hard work of men and women in the fields," Lira explains. "So this mural is to recognize that labor of farmers and farming." This connection to agricultural work reflects both the coffee shop's business and broader themes of human dignity and labor.
To prevent future misunderstandings, Lira and Azmi are working to secure a plaque with a QR code that will tell the mural's complete story. The original mural notably lacked such signage, unlike other Great Streets Program murals in the area. Next door at MOMO Sushi, artist Philipo Dyauli's mural includes a plaque reading, "It's arguably one of the most eye-catching murals of Central Avenue," with a QR code providing additional information about the installation and artist.
The Northeast Minneapolis Chamber, which manages the Great Streets Program, did not respond to questions about why the original mural at 1851 Central Avenue lacked similar signage. However, Azmi is confident they can secure proper documentation for the new artwork. "That QR code will tell the story of what happened, about why this mural is on this wall," he says. "Because people should know why this exists, what was before this, and what is the reason for this specific mural."
The transformation in community relations has been remarkable since the initial controversy. "The community is so happy. Everyone comes to me, talks to me. I got gifts from my neighbors," Azmi reports. "I'm really happy that I have this neighborhood. I'm in a very right place." The mural is expected to be completed within the next few weeks, followed by a community celebration hosted by Qahwah House to mark both the artwork's completion and the successful resolution of what began as a cultural misunderstanding.
