Riverwalk welcomes state’s largest mural for community identity, appreciation

EAA. Oshkosh B’Gosh. LifeFest. OshVegas — Event City has many claims to fame, and now Oshkosh can boast of hosting the largest mural in the state of Wisconsin. The 1,000 foot long artwork stretches along a wall of Cummins Plant, drawing attention to the attached riverfront trail available for public use. The mural took about a month for renowned artist Mauricio Ramirez to complete. Ramirez is known for his brilliant geometric murals around the US, including that of Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. 

photo by Novally Thao

Ryan Lindley, a member of the placemaking committee for Discover Oshkosh, joined with six other committee members to decide which artist had a vision that would best elevate the riverwalk and illuminate tourists on the history of Oshkosh. 

“We put out a call to artists to gauge interest in someone that wanted to create the largest mural in Wisconsin: 1,076 feet long and 22 feet high, totalling 23,672 square feet,” he said. “Once artists submitted their proposals, we gave our opinions regarding each artist’s submission and collaboratively chose the best artist for the project.”

The 2-mile-long paved trail provides tourists and lifelong Oshkoshians alike an opportunity to experience the beauty of the Fox River. For several years, it has been a united goal to make the riverwalk one of the top destinations throughout the city, and the new mural aims to do just that. 

“The main priority of the Placemaking Committee is to beautify the riverwalk in Oshkosh, and having a large, colorful mural that represents parts of Oshkosh is a phenomenal way to attract citizens to use the riverwalk,” Lindley said. “We are currently working on many ideas to make the riverwalk in Oshkosh attractive and desirable so more people use it. We want folks to see the riverwalk and bridges in Oshkosh as a connector between the North and  West sides, not as a divider.”

Greg Wright runs Spark Towns, a business that supports communities looking to invest in public art, placemaking, and entrepreneurship projects. He saw the riverwalk as a phenomenal opportunity for his company. 

“The Oshkosh Riverwalk is an amazing investment. The community now has more than 11 miles of riverfront trail it can access. We were excited to paint a bold and big mural that will draw people to use the riverwalk and beautify this particular stretch of it,” he said. 

Wright was particularly interested in how Ramirez combined his signature eye-catching art style with well-known facets from Oshkosh’s past. 

“This mural celebrates the history of industry in Oshkosh, with nods to the timber, textile, aviation, and automotive manufacturing industries. It also features a picture of Lewis Hine, who is a famous labor photographer who grew up in Oshkosh,” he said. 

Sophomore Dania Mian appreciates the various achievements that the mural has brought about for both the artist and her city. 

“I think the mural is important because it's a milestone for Mauricio Ramirez, who has now completed the largest mural in the state of Wisconsin. It’s also something new to attract people to Oshkosh,” she said. 

Public art can bring large varieties of people together to bond and spotlight unique areas throughout cities. 

“Public art helps communities celebrate their history and identity. Successful pieces become points of pride as well as destinations that can spur further economic development in and around their locations,” Wright said. “Public art is also great because it is public. Everyone can see it without needing to buy the art or an admission ticket.”

Lindley supports public art wholeheartedly, having seen various examples throughout Wisconsin. 

“People are naturally drawn to landmarks and art: Mama Rose in Wauwatosa and the different Bucky Badger Statues in Madison to name two. Having the largest mural in Oshkosh will inevitably draw local and outside interest, bringing more people into Oshkosh and generating more tourism revenue,” he said. 

Mian agrees, noting the community building power of locally displayed art. 

“Public art is important because it allows the Oshkosh community as a whole to come together to celebrate the city’s achievements,” she said. 

Murals, and public art in general, also break societal barriers found in the cost of tickets to many museums and exhibits. 

“Public art like the mural has no barriers. You don’t need special access to see the art, you don’t need to pay an enormous amount of money to see it, and there are no restrictions stopping folks from viewing and interacting with the art,” Lindley said. “Art has the ability to create discussion and discourse and, especially in this case, it has the ability to inform. Each part of the mural is informed by a piece of history in Oshkosh. It’s not the full story, but it is a great starting point and hopefully pushes others to continue diving deeper into Oshkosh’s rich history.”

by Kathryn Scheivert

Published December 1, 2025

Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue III