Sometimes, Iowa is accused of having a mundane landscape while lacking in color. If you’re one of those people then you may be pleased to see the new mural in Southside Des Moines. Here, the artwork reads, “Welcome to Southism” which is painted on a black wall. The word South DSM has a number of interesting images inside the words, such as a giraffe, an aeroplane, and a child on a bike.

According to sources, this was painted on the side of the Lucky Gal Tattoo and Piercing and Monsterama Arcade after being designed by Monsterama Arcade Owner Chris Pruisner and painted by Matt Graves. Apparently, Pruisner wanted the image to show everything associated with Southside Des Moines.

Generally, the mural seems to have been well received, with one Iowan writing, “Now this I like!” in response to its striking colors. In short, this has been praised for adding a dash of color and creativity to Des Moines while showing the community spirit.

At the same time, we can only hope that this mural doesn’t fall victim to graffiti or tagging. Sometimes, rogue street artists jump on murals and see it as an unwanted invitation to put their own mark on things. Nonetheless, for now at least, this mural has helped bring a bit of character and life into the Southside of Des Moines.