As Atlanta prepares to welcome the world for the FIFA World Cup 2026, new public art is helping shape the experience of moving through the city. One of those works, Golden Thicket by Larkin Ford, turns an everyday streetscape moment into something imaginative and memorable.
The mural highlights plants that are often overlooked in urban environments, presenting them at a monumental scale and layering them into a dreamlike composition. The result is a piece that invites people crossing the street or waiting at a light to pause and take in something unexpected.
Ford describes the title as a contrast between two ideas. “Golden” suggests idealized beauty, while a “thicket” evokes something dense, wild, or even inconvenient. By bringing the two together, the mural reframes what might normally be dismissed as weeds into something expressive, vibrant, and worth noticing.
That transformation reflects a broader goal for Atlanta’s World Cup preparations: creating public-facing spaces that feel welcoming, creative, and distinctly local.
“I hope that people who are crossing at the crosswalk or maybe stopped at the light find enough visually to chew on,” Ford said. “Something they can enjoy looking at for a little bit of time.”
Projects like Golden Thicket are part of a growing network of murals and streetscape improvements helping prepare Atlanta’s public realm for millions of visitors expected during the tournament. Just as importantly, they create lasting visual landmarks for residents long after the final match is played.
Through installations like this, Atlanta continues to invest in art that reflects the city’s identity while shaping a vibrant experience for the global stage.
