UND dorm mural survives ‘critic’

Despite an apparent attempt earlier this week to sabotage it, the new mural that adorns and represents a fourth-floor wing at the University of North Dakota’s Noren Hall survived with almost no damage.

And just hours later, UND President Robert Kelley stopped by to examine the painting and pronounce Caleb Pfremmer’s months-long project “absolutely wonderful.”

Pfremmer, 19, from Bemidji, is finishing his freshman year at UND. He started working on the mural in October, photographing a few of his suitemates at a time and projecting the images onto a wall-mounted canvas, where he brought them to life with paint.

He had the students dress in party clothes, and the completed mural is of a community of friends. The work also “created a sense of community here,” said Andre Thom, resident assistant for the wing.

According to Thom and a campus police spokeswoman, a man was spotted attempting to damage the mural late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. He was chased from the suite, caught and detained by students until campus police arrived.

The mural was not significantly damaged, Thom said. He said the suspect, a student residing in a nearby dormitory, was arrested, but campus police were unable Friday to confirm that.

Kelley, whose “Exceptional UND” campaign has encouraged more use of public spaces and more collaborative or community-building activities at all levels, inspected the mural on Thursday.

“I think it is absolutely wonderful what this young freshman student, Caleb Pfremmer, has created,” Kelley said later through a spokesman. “He’s really the kind of creative student that we try to recruit here to the university.

“What he did, through his artistic abilities, to strengthen relationships among his wing mates at Noren Hall, is a tremendous example of the sense of community that exists across our campus. It’s impressive, and it’s the kind of exceptional activity that we love to see from our students.”

Chuck Haga is a reporter

at the Grand Forks Herald, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.

Tags: news, und, art