THE KANSAS MURALS JOURNAL
"Beginning from an End": The Goldfish Mural in Manhattan, KS
A giant goldfish over a sunflower in Mural Alley: the story behind Joseph Renda Jr.'s "Beginning from an End" in Manhattan, Kansas.
There is a goldfish swimming over a sunflower in downtown Manhattan, and it might make you do a double take! 🎨 Titled "Beginning from an End," this larger than life mural by Joseph Renda Jr. is one of the most striking pieces in Mural Alley, and its story runs as deep as its colors!
A Prairie Parable
Painted in 2021, the mural is a meditation on the tallgrass prairie. The Flint Hills hold the last great expanse of unplowed tallgrass prairie in North America, and the mural imagines a beloved pet suspended in a landscape that was once a flourishing seaway. As water droplets fall onto the desolate land, life grows from the soil.
Look closely and you will see the goldfish shedding a single tear that waters the sunflower! It is a reminder that even the smallest acts can set off a chain reaction, and that it is never too late to make a positive change. For a town surrounded by the Konza Prairie, it hits home!
Finding It
You will find the mural in the alley next to The Chef Cafe in downtown Manhattan, the first of what locals hope will be many walls lining Mural Alley! It was made possible by Incite MHK with funding from the Diehl Committee and support from BHS Construction.
See our directory listing for the Goldfish mural for location details, and check the full Manhattan mural guide to plan the rest of your walk! 📸
Originally covered by our friends at Purple Iris Everywhere.