Independent Local artist and 1969 Wauwatosa West High School graduate Jim Koconis created a beautiful mural for the Learning Center at West. The installation was a gift donated by the alumni Class of 1969 in hopes to inspire students for years to come.
The illustration depicts the longitude and latitude of Wauwatosa West High School, but is intended to encourage students to think beyond their physical location.
“Essentially, the idea behind the mural, and the idea behind education, is to move your mind from the literal to the metaphoric–that’s the whole purpose why you’re here at school,” Koconis said. “The number here is the longitude and latitude of Wauwatosa West High School, but that’s not really where you’re at. A student–mentally, psychologically, spiritually–is in a different location. Literally, you’re here, but you’re not part of that world. There is a bigger world to be part of.”
West Principal Corey Golla enjoyed working with Jim through the process for the mural and how the message could continue to resonate with students for many years to come.
“This has been just an awesome connection to our West history,” Golla said. “[Jim and I] had a great, intellectual conversation about his piece. …It’s a great piece to have in our school, and it just changes space. You can’t walk in here and not notice it, and I’m so excited to see the kids interact with it.”
Koconis lifelong love for art also connects with his time spent at West. In fact, as a West student, he won the top national prize in the National Scholastic Art Competition. Now having the opportunity to create an installation for the school has brought his West experience full circle, and he hopes current and future students will continue to draw their own messages from the piece.
“When students see it, I hope they imagine what it means and try to sift through the possibilities of meanings and try to come up with their own,” Koconis said.