Searing and unapologetically ‘Murrays” is a bold acrylic painting that critiques the erasure of cultural landmarks and the deepening of food insecurity in Washington, D.C. 's gentrifying neighborhoods. Featuring the iconic Murry’s Food Store—long a staple in underserved communities—the work captures the emotional and economic tension of transformation. The store’s familiar slogan, “Our Neighborhood Food Store!”, is rendered with irony as a hovering UFO, symbolizing gentrification, looms ominously above a pink, almost surreal skyline. With expressive brushstrokes and a defiant message scrawled on the storefront door—“GO AWAY!”—Sloan gives voice to the silenced: the residents who watched accessible, affordable food sources disappear, only to be replaced by high-end markets or vacant promises. The presence of “H St Storage” in the background nods to the repurposing of vital community infrastructure into commercial or inaccessible spaces, a trend all too familiar in historically Black, working-class neighborhoods. This piece serves as both social commentary and cultural preservation—documenting a vanishing D.C. with grit, color, and conviction. Perfect for collectors invested in place-based narratives, urban justice, and contemporary Black expression, “Murrays” is both protest and portrait—holding a mirror to the city’s contested future.
Searing and unapologetically ‘Murrays” is a bold acrylic painting that critiques the erasure of cultural landmarks and the deepening of food insecurity in Washington, D.C. 's gentrifying neighborhoods. Featuring the iconic Murry’s Food Store—long a staple in underserved communities—the work captures the emotional and economic tension of transformation. The store’s familiar slogan, “Our Neighborhood Food Store!”, is rendered with irony as a hovering UFO, symbolizing gentrification, looms ominously above a pink, almost surreal skyline. With expressive brushstrokes and a defiant message scrawled on the storefront door—“GO AWAY!”—Sloan gives voice to the silenced: the residents who watched accessible, affordable food sources disappear, only to be replaced by high-end markets or vacant promises. The presence of “H St Storage” in the background nods to the repurposing of vital community infrastructure into commercial or inaccessible spaces, a trend all too familiar in historically Black, working-class neighborhoods. This piece serves as both social commentary and cultural preservation—documenting a vanishing D.C. with grit, color, and conviction. Perfect for collectors invested in place-based narratives, urban justice, and contemporary Black expression, “Murrays” is both protest and portrait—holding a mirror to the city’s contested future.
Our box frame is milled from solid ash, hand-stained by our team and finished with a specialist wax to accentuate the grain. The frame has a box profile measuring 20mm (front face) by 33mm (depth from wall).
Includes a Giclée fine art print
Solid wood frame
Choice of frame color
Can be ordered with a mount
Perspex or moth-eye glaze options
Delivered ready to hang
