MURAL RESTORATION OF THE “Flesh and the Devil”

Restoration of the iconic Greta Garbo and John Gilbert mural is finished. The art graces the whole west wall of the Kramer Engineers building downtown at Grant & Oak; it portrays the famous love scene between Garbo and Gilbert from the 1926 film Flesh and the Devil.

The Original Was Painted in 1997

Although the scene has just come back to vivid life, the original wall painting was actually done in 1997. And the original artists?  Well, they were 4 members of the Columbus College of Arts and Design’s graduating class; Jason Cho, Tim Halterman, Keigo Kobayashi, and Andrew Myers.  But the 4 didn’t just create art.  They painstakingly created a scene that has been used as a backdrop for photographers for over 20 years.

Chelsea Bennett Brought the Mural Back to Life

Mural of Greta and John

However, over the years, the elements faded the colors. So this left “Greta and John” in desperate need of a facelift.  But it took the talent of another artist to ensure that the work was done right. So artist Chelsea Bennett was commissioned, and with the assistance of artist Kendra Strebig the pair weathered the mid-summer heat to breathe life back into the original scene.