Founding Father As Functional Art

Power Plant's Plan for Washington Mural Meets Objections

What better way to camouflage up to 80,000 tons of coal stored along the Potomac River than with an enormous mural depicting the life of George Washington? Or not.

Just in time for the president's birthday anniversary, a Revolutionary War-size battle is brewing in Alexandria over plans to build a 1,200-foot mural along the busy Mount Vernon bike trail.

On one side are officials from the Mirant power plant, a noisy, coal-fired generator on the river that the city has tried unsuccessfully to get rid of for years. Plant officials thought a mural showing scenes of Washington's life in Alexandria -- his carriage passing historic Christ Church, for example -- would be just the ticket to soothe unhappy residents and an excellent concealer for its lumpy coal pile.

On the other side are Alexandria officials and activists who have decried the proposal as a cheap public relations stunt. The plan is causing hand-wringing at the National Park Service and U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which say the mural will mar the historic waterfront and be visible as far away as Prince George's County and to people flying into Reagan National Airport.

"What the heck do we need a mural there for?" groused the city's vice mayor, Andrew H. Macdonald (D). "You can go to Mount Vernon if you want George Washington! It's ridiculous."

Officials from Atlanta-based Mirant Corp. told the city in late December of plans for the George Washington Mural Park, an elaborate series of panels to be painted on a new cedar fence at the plant that runs a quarter-mile along the Mount Vernon trail, one of the busiest National Park Service trails in the country.

In January, Mirant commissioned two local artists to paint the estimated $430,000 mural with nine scenes from Washington's life, including life-size depictions of him surveying canals at Great Falls and farming at Mount Vernon.

The last section of the mural, closest to the steel-girded facade of the plant, was to have trompe l'oeil images of Washington through history -- on dollar bills and stamps.

Sculptor Chris Erney, 38, of Alexandria said he and fellow artist Patrick Kirwin have been working "literally seven days a week" on the project and were just finishing a sample panel for an elaborate announcement ceremony planned for Feb. 19, Presidents' Day.

Now the unveiling is in question.

Bob Driscoll, chief executive of Mirant Mid-Atlantic, said that plant officials were initially encouraged by city and Park Service officials, who later began backing away from the project as controversy arose.

Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille (D) issued a statement yesterday that called the mural an "interesting concept" that would "substantially change how the City of Alexandria appears to our neighbors and to Potomac River traffic, as well as to park trail users." He urged Mirant to get "widespread public input" before proceeding.