Budget: $115,000
Artist Moses Ball has been selected to create public art for Barraud Park.
Artist visit: July 25, 2026
The Barraud Park Public Art Committee and members of the Lindenwood Cottage Heights Barraud Park Civic League welcomed artist Moses X. Ball of South Central LA to Norfolk, VA to tour the neighborhood and share their desire for the artwork to be a powerful, engaging expression of the community’s history and resilience. Ball is now in the design process and will present his ideas for the project to the committee in the next few months.
Barraud Park, a cornerstone of Norfolk’s history, has long played a vital role in the community. The park has been undergoing a $4.5 million facelift to improve accessibility and parking, while preserving its historical charm. As a gathering place for both recreation and community events, it remains a vital part of Norfolk’s cultural landscape.
The proposed theme for public art at Barraud Park envisions a series of interconnected artworks that reflect the park’s rich history and its significance to the Norfolk community. These pieces will be healing, offering space for reflection on both the struggles and triumphs experienced there. They will showcase the park’s role in overcoming segregation, celebrating resilience, and honoring moments of joy and unity.
The artworks will be interwoven, creating a visual journey that ties together different stories, from local athletes to cultural events. Each piece will build on the others, telling a larger narrative. Thought-provoking and symbolic, the art will inspire reflection on the past while encouraging optimism for the future, leaving a lasting legacy that continues to heal and unite the community.
The artworks at Barraud Park will be able to be viewed by pedestrians, so the scale will vary to create an engaging experience—some pieces will be small and intimate, inviting personal reflection, while others will be larger and more commanding, drawing the attention of those across the park. The medium chosen with durability in mind, will ensure that they can withstand the elements and the passage of time. Materials such as weather-resistant metal, stone, ceramics, or durable mixed media are examples of what may be considered. The size and medium will balance aesthetic appeal with the park’s natural landscape, allowing the art to blend harmoniously with the environment while still standing out as a powerful expression of the community’s history and resilience.
