Eco Mural 22: Nocturnal Bioluminescence
Location: Painted in studio, West Philadelphia, PA, Installed at Level 99, Tysons Corner, VA
Date: Summer 2025
Materials: Acrylic on poly-tab using airbrush and paintbrush techniques
Artists: Hagopian Arts | Kala Hagopian, Philip Hagopian, Helen Harvey
Painted by Hagopian Arts in the West Philadelphia studio and installed at Level 99 in Tysons Corner, Eco Mural 22: Nocturnal Bioluminescence immerses viewers in the quiet luminosity of the forest night. The mural reveals the complex web of life that thrives after dark: spotted salamanders and eastern newts moving toward ephemeral vernal pools, Luna and Cecropia moths resting on native trunks, fireflies tracing communication across humid air, and faintly glowing fungi threading through the soil below.
Rendered in fine realism and atmospheric light, the mural captures the rhythm and pulse of nocturnal ecosystems. A gold geometric lattice flows through the composition, symbolizing the hidden architecture of ecological connection that unites these species and their habitats.
Ecological Narrative
Nocturnal Bioluminescence bridges two landscapes deeply rooted in Kala Hagopian’s artistic and ecological practice: the deciduous forests of Virginia and the mountain ecosystems of Vermont, where she grew up exploring nature with her father, artist Philip Hagopian. Together they observed the rhythms of nocturnal life, following amphibian migrations to vernal pools in the early spring and studying the quiet activity that unfolds beneath moonlight.
Those formative experiences, combined with later fieldwork alongside local ecologists, continue to inform Hagopian’s process of painting from observation and research. The nocturnal forest serves as both memory and motif, a place where movement, stillness, and bioluminescence coexist.
At the mural’s center, spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) emerge from underground to reach rain-filled pools for breeding. Nearby, eastern newts (Notophthalmus viridescens) appear in both their bright orange “eft” and aquatic adult forms, embodying transformation and continuity between land and water.
High in the composition, a Luna moth (Actias luna) rests along birch bark while a Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), the continent’s largest silk moth, folds its red-banded wings. Their presence evokes metamorphosis and fragility, each species dependent on native host trees such as birch, hickory, and walnut. Between them, fireflies (Lampyridae) flicker across the surface, and faintly glowing fungi reveal the mycorrhizal networks that connect the forest underground.
In-Studio Collaboration
The mural was created over several months in the Hagopian Arts studio in West Philadelphia, where collaboration played a central role in the painting process. Kala’s father, Philip Hagopian, traveled from Vermont to work alongside her on the piece, continuing the creative dialogue that began in her childhood explorations of the natural world. Their shared experience studying ecosystems and nocturnal environments became part of the mural’s visual language.
In the studio, Philip developed the intricately textured and layered background, working with Kala to build the sense of atmosphere and movement within the composition. His contribution shaped the depth and luminous character of the forest environment and the large purple flora that anchors the lower section of the piece.
Assistant artist Helen Harvey painted the geometric gold patterning that frames and weaves through the composition. Her precise brushwork and attention to rhythm bring balance to the mural’s structure, allowing the geometry to appear and dissolve throughout the atmospheric layers. Together, the collaboration created a dialogue of realism, pattern, and light that echoes the interconnectedness of the living systems it portrays.
Environmental Concerns
The ecosystems represented in Nocturnal Bioluminescence face growing challenges. Vernal pools that support amphibian breeding cycles are often drained or polluted. Forest fragmentation interrupts the migration routes of salamanders and newts, while artificial light disrupts moth navigation and the signaling patterns of fireflies. Chemical runoff and changing climate conditions affect both soil health and the delicate timing of breeding and growth cycles.
The mural underscores the need for awareness and restoration. Protecting wetland buffers, planting native species, reducing outdoor lighting, and avoiding chemical inputs can help sustain these vulnerable yet vital systems.
Venue Context
Installed within Level 99’s Tysons Corner location, Eco Mural 22: Nocturnal Bioluminescence becomes part of a vibrant environment where large-scale installations by many leading artists converge. Level 99 merges interactive art with experiential design, blending more than fifty creative challenge rooms and immersive installations into one dynamic venue.
Each artwork in the space includes a hidden “glyph,” inviting viewers to engage more deeply. Within Hagopian Arts’ mural, the Luna moth serves as the hidden glyph. Its soft glow and central placement connect the ecological narrative to the viewer’s experience of discovery. The moment of recognition completes the piece’s interactive dialogue and ties it to the collaborative spirit of the larger installation environment.
In this context, the mural contributes an ecological and contemplative perspective to a collective of installation artists, expanding the conversation between art, play, and environmental awareness.
About the Work
Created with a combination of airbrush and brush techniques, the mural merges scientific observation with imaginative atmosphere. Its geometric gold lattice mirrors the unseen structures that hold ecosystems together.
Installed at Level 99, Tysons Corner, the work transforms a public interior into an encounter with nature’s subtle intricacy. Like all pieces within The Eco Mural Project, a QR code beside the mural links to additional educational resources about the species and conservation efforts it represents.
Context within The Eco Mural Project
Since 2018, The Eco Mural Project has evolved into a multi-site public art initiative led by Kala Hagopian through Hagopian Arts. Each mural merges fine-art realism, ecological research, and community engagement to highlight the interdependence of natural and human systems.
Earlier works such as Cecropia Luna Buckeye explored pollinator cycles and atmospheric light. The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge murals celebrated wetlands and migratory species. Mugwort, Mullein and Mallow honored resilient flora and traditional plant knowledge. Artelo examined plant-pollinator interdependence through community partnership, and Bartram’s Garden expanded the series into freestanding public installations grounded in local ecology and cultural heritage.
Eco Mural 22: Nocturnal Bioluminescence extends this vision into the nocturnal and subterranean realms, connecting Vermont’s forest ecology to Virginia’s woodlands and reflecting on the intergenerational and collaborative roots that continue to shape Hagopian’s work.
Conservation Partners
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
Amphibian monitoring and vernal-pool stewardship
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Firefly, moth, and pollinator protection
Amphibian Survival Alliance
Global efforts for salamander and newt conservation
North American Land Trust
Forest-corridor and wetland preservation
DarkSky International
Advocacy for natural night and light-pollution reduction
Client
A first-of-its-kind destination for adults featuring real-world, interactive social gaming with over 50 physical and mental challenges set in artistic environments.
FINE ART MURAL REPRODUCTIONS
Limited edition, museum quality prints of hand-painted murals using archival-grade inks and premium textured vinyl
At Hagopian Arts, we bring the beauty and depth of meticulously hand-painted murals into your space through our fine art-quality vinyl mural reproductions. These murals capture the richness of highly rendered realism, seamlessly woven with ornamental patterning, reflecting our signature artistic style. Our Botanical and Eco Murals celebrate the natural world, offering a striking yet timeless fusion of art and design.
Bring the spirit of the Eco Mural Project into your home or garden. Each mini mural celebrates pollinators, native plants, and the beauty of our local ecosystems. Handcrafted locally, printed to order with archival fine art materials.
Click any image to learn more and add to your cart.
Professional installation and additional options available upon request.
Available Sizes:
2 × 2 ft | 3 × 3 ft | 4 × 4 ft | 5 × 5 ft
(Custom sizes available by request)
A percentage of sales is donated to an environmentally driven non-profit working to mitigate the decline of pollinators.
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