Mural Watch: Buffalo Unbound

One of Buffalo’s most beloved graphic artists – Michael Morgulis – has been provided space for his first significant mural. Not that his works haven’t been featured all over the city in one form or another, including on billboards… it’s just that there’s something about a mural that is the equivalent to having one’s name in lights.

That’s why Morgulis (New Buffalo Graphics) chose the Buffalo Unbound image to represent his sentiments. Actually, when I first saw this image, decades ago, he called it Vanishing Buffalo, which was his way of lightheartedly saying that Buffalo was going down the drain. That was around 1980.

“Now Buffalo is bouncing back,” Morgulis told me. “There’s so much energy. That’s why I’ve changed the name of the image to Buffalo Unbound.”

The Buffalo Unbound mural is also thanks to Vice President of Marketing for Visit Buffalo Niagara, Ed Healy, who came up with the idea, and president of the North Buffalo Organization, Joann Steinmetz, who rallied behind the idea.

“The mural is a great addition to the dozens of other murals on Hertel Avenue,” said Delaware District council member Joel Feroleto. “Michael Morgulis once had a storefront on Hertel, so this is a wonderful tribute that honors his legacy on the street, and in the neighborhood.