Miles of parks line the Mississippi River in South Minneapolis. On the Northside, it’s miles of industry. That could soon change as the Upper Harbor barge terminal is redeveloped for housing, entertainment, and a public park.

The Minneapolis Park And Recreation Board hired JXTA to plan public art for the new park. We started by interviewing graf­fiti artists, environmental justice advocates, and others connected to the riverfront. We then translated their stories into concepts for public art. Taken together our public art concepts sent a clear message: This river belongs to people, not industry.