VCU news

By Corey Byers

After five years on the 200 block of East Broad Street, a group of Virginia Commonwealth University arts students have new neighbors. This week, they properly welcomed them to the neighborhood.

On Monday, two students from the Middle of Broad (mOb) Studio class crossed the street to install two dozen original posters in the new VCU Police Headquarters. Vibrant, colorful, and humorous, the posters adorn VCUPD’s main lobby and collectively form the first art installation for police at 224 East Broad Street.

Students need to see the power that design has to affect change.   

“Living in the city involves getting to know your neighbors and initiating conversations with people that are part of your city,” said mOb Studio Associate Professor Camden Whitehead. “We’re always looking for projects that can make a difference in our neighborhood and our city. Students need to see the power that design has to affect change.”

The mOb Studio is a partnership of three departments in the School of the Arts: graphic design, fashion design and merchandising, and interior design. These departments operate an experimental lab that realizes the potential of design to shape and reinvigorate Richmond. 

Students spent a week in October designing the posters for VCUPD’s main entrance. Whitehead said they worked individually on the posters, but given the collaborative nature of the class, students and faculty actively discuss every project. 

Whitehead said mOb students have worked with citizens, civic organizations, the university and the city to generate designs solutions for different projects. One example is the class’ work with the VCU Honors College, where students are working on a design to reconsider the entry and image of the building. 

Many of the posters installed at VCUPD incorporate the mOb Studio logo, a cartoon bandit, and throw in the occasional coffee and doughnut references as gentle jokes to police. 

“We believe that planning and design are better when all of the stakeholders are at the table, Whitehead said. “The easiest way to get those stakeholders at the table is to have them already be your friends before the planning and design begins.” 

The art will be on display until a permanent VCU Police logo is installed in the space. However, the posters will still be displayed once they’re replaced in the lobby. VCU Police Chief John Venuti intends on placing them throughout the building, including in his office. 

“As the students were installing the posters, one with a map of the city caught my eye,” Venuti said. “It’s got the bandit logo and shows the locations of coffee shops in the neighborhood. I can appreciate that.” 

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