Remembering the State Street murals from 2020
Following destructive protests after police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis, artists painted murals on the plywood covering many State Street businesses in the spring of 2020.

Murals are painted on boarded up businesses on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Murals are painted on boarded up businesses on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Emida Roller, right, and her daughter, Zaria, 17, left, paint a mural on the exterior of Himal Chuli that is boarded up with Akash Pradhan, whose grandparents own the restaurant, on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Murals are painted on boarded up businesses on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Murals are painted on boarded up businesses on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Murals are painted on boarded up businesses on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Murals are painted on boarded up businesses on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

It's unclear how long the murals on State Street will remain, but each is being photographed. There is also talk of donating some to the Wisconsin Historical Society, and also talk of an auction.

Ophelia Tsa, employee at Taiwan Little Eats, helps paint a mural on the the exterior of the restaurant that has been boarded up on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Sapphina Roller, 19, right, paints a mural expressing black power with her brother, Solomon, 21, on the boarded-up exterior of The Soap Opera on State Street. Artists from throughout the community have come to the city's Downtown to brighten the sea of plywood installed last week after vandals broke windows and looted some businesses. Some merchants who did not sustain window damage put up plywood as a protective measure.

Zaria Roller, 17, paints a mural on the exterior of Himal Chuli, a Nepalese restaurant. The painting is of two fishes that in Nepal's culture symbolize breath.

August, 414 State St., is a shoe and clothing retailer but also a social scene where Instagram is central and hanging out is encouraged. Its windows are among those painted with messages of hope and inspiration.

Brooklyn Doby, a recent Edgewood College graduate, paints a mural on the exterior of Moxe Health as the business is boarded up on State Street in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, June 3, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

One of the largest murals on State Street is on the side of Triangle Market. A variety of artists have been involved with the project, but some are being paid through a city program designed to encourage artists and cultural expression.

Local artist Daniella Echeverria paints a mural Tuesday on the boarded exterior of the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art. Overture Center is also covered in plywood to protect its windows.

Local artist Mike Lroy spray paints a mural on the boarded up exterior of Tutto Pasta on State Street in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, June 2, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Local artist Mike Lroy spray paints a mural on the boarded up exterior of Tutto Pasta on State Street in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, June 2, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Local artist Daniella Echeverria paints a mural on the boarded exterior of Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, June 2, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Sapphina Roller, 19, left, works on a mural with her sister, Zaria, 17, and mom, Emida, as local artists make art on boarded up businesses on State Street in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, June 2, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL

Artists Brooklyn Doby, left, a recent Edgewood College graduate, and Synovia Knox, a recent UW-Madison graduate, work on Campus Ink, a tattoo shop at 514 State St.

(From left) Sapphina Roller, 19, her mom, Emida and sister, Zaria, 17, pack up art supplies after painting a mural on a boarded up business on State Street in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, June 2, 2020. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL