On our way back home from photographing National Geographic headquarters (below/previous picture), we came across this new mural. Amazing what you can find when not looking for anything!

According to the Washington City Paper:

“A massive, seven-story mural now resides on the front of the former Donovan Hotel on Thomas Circle. Two women of color wearing large pieces of jewelry and holding spears are depicted in the artwork, as if standing watch over the neighborhood. A closer look reveals two giant flowers from which the figures seem to be emerging. The artist skillfully painted around columns of windows to cover about half of the 14-floor building’s facade.

“The piece, titled “Guardians of the Four Directions,” is signed by MISS CHELOVE (artist Cita Sadeli), a local art director, muralist, designer, and educator. She completed it by herself since logistics made it difficult for her to have an assistant -- requiring her to do double the work. And she painted through March, as the novel coronavirus pandemic spread in D.C., to finish by her deadline at the start of April. CHELOVE was commissioned to create the mural by Hotel Zena, a new establishment scheduled to open this summer, according to its website. As part of the construction crew, she was considered an essential worker.”

Best to view in "Original" because other versions resized by Pbase are decidedly
unsharp.

National Geographic headquarters, posted earlier: