Murals to debut at life science campus in Burlingame

“I’m also really inspired by environmental influences. I’m interested in painting as this unique visual vocabulary,” Mueller said. “With these murals, I’m specifically thinking about their location in Burlingame, and the area’s history as a thruway for all these different forms of transportation, both natural and manmade.” 

The incorporation of public artwork like the murals is an important aspect of the project, King Street Managing Director Sonia Taneja said. King Street Properties is the developer of The Landing, which Taneja described as a “purpose-driven” space. 

“It’s part of our development that we like to feature artists that are either local to the community or tie into our projects in a way, in order to boost that spirit of being able to have wellness and enjoy the space,” she said. 

The works have been an exploration in scale for Mueller, she said, largely due to their size and how frequently they will be seen by commuters and employees alike. 

One mural, visible from the highway, is complete, and a second is in progress and set to be finished by the end of June or July. Both feature high-contrast colors and paint sprayed in “atmospheric hazes,” which Mueller decided upon while considering how the artwork would be seen both from far away and close up. 

“My hope for the murals was to create these spaces that felt very vibrant and dynamic, and also really full of movement,” she said. 

The artwork will be added to Burlingame’s collection of public art, which can be viewed via map on the city’s website. 

Mueller emphasized the importance of public art and said the developer’s commitment to including such a large-scale piece within The Landing was a benefit to the community. 

“I think it’s wonderful that organizations and even cities are investing in artwork in this way, as an integral part of a design as a space,” she said. 

It’s also been an opportunity for her to stretch creatively. 

“I am really excited to see my work at this scale — it does feel a little surreal at times,” she said. “I’ve painted murals in the past, gotten to work on fairly large paintings on canvas, but really nothing like we’re making there at The Landing.”