project overview
Kroger Store #433 | ATOKA
Total Budget: $10,000, additional $400 honorarium for each finalist
Artist: Taropop
BACKGROUND
SCOPE OF WORK
UAC, in partnership with the Kroger Company, will commission one professional artist or artist team to create indoor artwork for Kroger Store #433 located at 11630 Hwy 51, Atoka, TN 38004.
The artwork will be prominently displayed on a wall inside the store as part of the Kroger Company’s commitment to involving artists in beautifying stores throughout the nation. The artwork will be expected to celebrate the spirit of the community and the unique identity of the neighborhood and its surroundings.
The wall space for the artwork is 24’W x 8’H. The artwork can be broken down into smaller-sized wall panels.
The proposed artwork should reflect the Atoka spirit and should complement the character and environment of the store. The subject matter should focus on the Atoka community and not on people. When people see the artwork they should know that it is the Atoka Community and nowhere else.
Final Design
About the Artist:
Taropop:
Taropop is the creative studio founded by multidisciplinary married artists Kong WeePang and Jay Crum. The pair met in a figure-drawing class while studying art and design, and have since collaborated on public art, branding, fine art, and illustration under the shared pseudonym Taropop.
JAY CRUM
Origins & Education
Originally from New Orleans, Jay Crum earned his BFA in printmaking around 2005, went on to receive his MFA from Memphis College of Art in 2012, and works as a designer, illustrator, and fine artist.
Artistic Themes
Crum creates drawings and illustrations that emphasize structure, layered shapes, and playful logic. His work blends fine art techniques with design thinking, often exploring the interaction between space, color, and pattern. He works fluidly between analog and digital tools, adapting his style to a range of formats including packaging, murals, apparel, and environmental graphics.
Fine Art & Installations
Crum has designed over 50 large-scale murals for Tru by Hilton locations across the United States, building a cohesive and recognizable brand presence through regionally inspired artwork. His public art portfolio also includes a mural for Google Headquarters in Mountain View, California. He brings a graphic sensibility to large-scale work, often referencing local architecture, symbols, and stories. Additional projects include environmental graphics for Memphis civic spaces and community installations. His mural for a city recycling initiative in the Cooper Young neighborhood is one example of how he applies bold, accessible artwork to everyday infrastructure.
KONG WEE PANG
Origins & Education
Born in Labis, Johor, Malaysia, and educated at Singapore’s Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, she moved to the U.S. in 2001 and earned her BFA and MFA from Memphis College of Art.
Artistic Themes
Her practice explores transformation and identity bridging her Malaysian roots with contemporary life in America. She works in watercolors, sequins, interactive murals, and 3D sculptures.
Public & Commercial Work
Pang’s public art includes the “Love Doves” sequin mural at Overton Square and the Subterranean River I-40 Underpass created a large-scale sequin mural and lighting installation referencing the movement of the Mississippi River. As well as installations across Denver, Nashville, Austin, and Las Vegas. Her work merges local culture like Memphis musical motifs with tropical Malaysian influences.
Fine Art & Installations
She has exhibited internationally in galleries in NYC, Spain, Germany, Singapore. She also works on public installations such as the Summer Art Garden at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, featuring AR elements.
