Face of the D.C. Art Movement Gives a Reface to Curry's Auto Service, Arlington | Arts & Culture

An artist and an auto repair shop have joined forces to create a unique tribute to the community of Arlington. The artist is Nigerian-born Aniekan Udofia, famed within the DC art community for his avant-garde work , and the auto shop is Curry's Auto Service, known in the DC metro area for its community involvement and unique marketing approach. Aniekan was commissioned by Matt and Judy Curry to produce a mural that caught the spirit and excitement of Arlington on the wall of their Curry’s location at 4160B South Four Mile Run Road, Arlington.

Aniekan's mural focuses on the elements that make Arlington such a unique neighborhood in the DC landscape, featuring among other things, the faces of four young children in the left foreground, with an American flag swirling behind them. The children represent ethnic diversity - two African American, one Asian and one Caucasian. To the right of the children are neighborhood scenes - a fish jumping from Four Mile Run stream (which is situated directly behind the Curry's shop), a silhouette of a biker and walker on the W & OD canal towpath across the street and an Arlington Little League baseball player practicing at Barcroft Park that is behind the shop. In the top center of the mural, there is an artistic representation of Arlington’s most striking monument, the Air Force Memorial.

Judy Curry, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer for Curry's  Auto, said, “Ever since we opened this location, I’ve looked at that blank wall as an opportunity to do something fun, something truly unique that you would not expect from an auto shop.  We’re different than most shops with the incredible service we offer as the area’s only Certified Female Friendly repair shop, and we now actively and proudly support the arts.  Aniekan was wonderful to work with and is truly inspiring with his incredible talent and work ethic.  I am so excited on how well it turned out, that I’m contemplating doing another mural at one of our other seven locations.”

In 2009, Curry's Auto Service purchased the 64-year-old building at 4160B South Four Mile Run Road - the original location for World Motors Auto, which opened for business in 1947. The mural is visible from South Four Mile Run Road, where Curry’s Auto shares a common entrance with the Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles. 

About Aniekan Udofia

Aniekan began his art career in Uyo, Nigeria, where it was a custom for local artists to draw posters for barber shops. The Curry's mural is his Aniekan's first poster for an auto repair shop. Aniekan came to Washington, DC, in 1999, where he has established his reputation, using hip hop themes as social commentary. His works have been featured in urban publications such as Rime, Elemental, DC Pulse and Frank 151 and on album covers for hip hop artists such as Critically Acclaimed and Flex Mathew. As a member of Artwork Mbilashaka, Aniekan has worked on projects for Red Bull, Heineken, Honda, Current TV and Adidas.

About Curry's Auto

Founded by Matt and Judy Curry in 1997, Curry's Auto Service was named "2010 Top Shop" by Motor Age Magazine. In June 2010, Curry's Auto Service was chosen by the readers of Northern Virginia Magazine as "Best Auto Repair Shop" in Northern Virginia. In addition, Curry’s has received the highest AAA ratings in the country for customer satisfaction.

Operating seven shops in Northern Virginia, Curry’s Auto Service is one of the largest independent service and repair shops in the DC area, with more than 4500 customer interactions each month at its shops in Arlington, Chantilly, Dulles, Fairfax City, Falls Church, Gainesville and Great Falls/Reston. Curry's  will open its first Maryland location in August.