In September 2025, the Princeton Art Collective unveiled its latest public art commission: 27 Schoolteachers and a Volcano, a mural by internationally recognized artist Pat Perry. Painted in the heart of Princeton, Wisconsin, the work pays tribute to local educators while reflecting on the broader human condition.
For the piece, Perry collaborated with 27 local schoolteachers, using their portraits as the foundation for a narrative that explores resilience, responsibility, and the quiet persistence of purpose in uncertain times.
“I’m proud of the concept, and I feel like this one had some extra heart and soul behind it. Twenty-seven local schoolteachers let us use their portraits to demonstrate an idea about the moment we are living in. I think it showed another way that art can speak to local communities without being formulaic or cliché,” Perry said.
The mural combines striking portraiture with metaphorical imagery, centering around the idea that even in small rural towns, people are never fully insulated from the immense forces that shape history.
In his artist statement, Perry reflected on the mural’s deeper meaning:
“Even in a small rural town, you’re not insulated from the immense forces that shape the world. History happens. Economies rise and fall. Wars begin. Continents drift and mountains erode. One day, the sun will expand and swallow the Earth. Most of us don’t get much of a say in any of it. Yet, day after day, people find purpose. They wake up early, show up with intention, and try to make sense of things—not just for themselves, but also for others. Teachers do this every day. Not for recognition, and rarely for much pay. It’s a repetitive act of maintenance that holds things together. Choosing to shoulder that task, even while standing at the edge of something vast and indifferent, is a quiet act of defiance. Amidst overwhelmingness and uncontrollableness and unanswerableness, teachers—and all custodians of human affairs—keep meaning in the world by steadily and stubbornly tending to it.”
Through 27 Schoolteachers and a Volcano, Perry highlights the profound role of teachers as anchors of meaning, even when the world feels uncertain and overwhelming. The mural, at once local and universal, reflects his belief in the power of public art to connect communities through shared human stories.
The Princeton Art Collective’s commission not only enriches the town’s cultural landscape but also honors the everyday contributions of educators—those who continue to “keep meaning in the world” against all odds.
The post 27 Schoolteachers and a Volcano” – A New Mural by Pat Perry in Princeton, Wisconsin first appeared on street art united states.
by Sami Wakim via street art united states
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