Norman Hall bike tunnel whitewashed, painted

The Norman Hall bike tunnel was graffiti-free — for less than 24 hours.

The bike tunnel, commonly known as the graffiti tunnel, was whitewashed Monday evening by UF’s Grounds Department in the Physical Plant Division.

However, a new student organization, Humons, was one of the first groups of artists to paint the tunnel’s wall.

Humons is a group that encourages people to express their individuality through their passions in things like art and music.

Danny Fry, president of Humons, and Tyler Burris, treasurer of Humons, spent about one hour painting.

First, they painted a black background. Then they spray-painted white stencil letters: “Before I graduate, I want to…” They drew lines directly beneath the phrase for students to fill in with chalk.

“It’s the idea of using art for a purpose,” said Fry, a 22-year-old UF criminology senior. “I’d say it’s fostering imagination, creativity and spontaneity.”

Fry and Burris said Humons hopes to spread its theme of oneness at the college level through this street art.

“Honestly, these are our generation’s next brightest minds,” said Burris, a 22-year-old UF criminology senior. “When you make an impression at this level, it’s going to last for decades.”

[A version of this story ran on page 5 on 3/28/2014 under the headline "Norman tunnel whitewashed, painted"]

Danny Fry and Tyler Burris, president and treasurer of Humons respectively, spray paint individual stencil letters white onto a black background in the recently repainted Norman Hall tunnel. Humons is a student organization that promotes humans learning to live as one.