There is an intersection in Lynn where three streets tangle together, Washington St, Oxford St, and Central Ave. That is where I was standing when I took this photo – a great view of two immense murals. They are very different from each other and they are both fabulous.
below:Ernesto Maranje, flora and fauna, rhinocerus, black bear and at least two species of birds.
below: ‘The Resident’ by Smug on Central Avenue painted in 2019.
Both of these murals, and many others, are because of the work of Beyond Walls, a non-profit agency that promotes art in the community. They believe that art and the active spaces that go with it, strengthens cities.
Portuguese artist Bordalo II (aka Artur Bordalo) is known for his animal creations using trash and found objects. There are now two examples of his artwork in Lynn including this bear. Another feature of Bordalo II’s animals is their ‘split personality’ – one half is colourful while the other is in shades of grey.
below: On the same building as the bear is another piece by Bordalo II, a mouse with perky ears and long whiskers.
below: A side view of the mouse gives a good look at the depth of the artwork.
below: A hardhat, vacuum hoses, a pink skateboard, and something yellow with wheels, are among the items used to make the mouse’s eye.
below: A closer look at the face of the bear and all the bits and pieces that were used.
below: Pieces of metal make claws on bear paws including a lone yellow one.
Many fire hydrants in downtown Chicopee Massachusetts have been painted by members of Sunshine Village (helping and inspiring young adults on the autism spectrum). This is only a small sample of them! If you get the chance to visit Chicopee, how many can you find?
below: A quarter gets you a gum ball!
below: Olaf from “Frozen”
below: A one-eyed minion – Although there were other one-eyed minions in the Despicable Me series, the most famoud one is Stuart.
below: The hoardings around a construction site at 125th and Lexington provided the canvas for a section of the ‘Grand Scale Mural Project’ in Harlem.
below: In total, over 100 artists participated in the project. See their website, Uptown Grand Central for more information. Some of the murals are shown below.
below: Three happy friends; boys laughing together – by Ramarru
below: A painting by Minhafofa, aka Marissa Molina … with a tattoo on her shoulder that says Never stop dreaming… and she’s looking at you.
below: It looks like he’s swaddled in pink fur. He is Hip Hopper Cam’ron and the portrait was painted by Zane (aka Ivan Jines) using tags of ‘Zane’, a technique that he uses frequently in his portraits.
below: More of the hoardings…. mother and daughter at a table, many faces, a sailboat sailing through a mysterious scene (rough seas? atomic bomb? or just playful clouds?)
From across the street it looks rather chaotic, colourful but a bit of a mess.
On closer inspection, it is an amazing collection of figures (mostly famous ones) and stories. This is Planet Harlem. It was started in 2012 by artist Paul Deo. At that time he won a competition to paint a mural by Corner Social (still there!) at 126th St and Malcolm X Blvd. Rucker on the basketball player’s shirt is a nod to Rucker Park, a Harlem park with a basketball court where a number of “stars” honed their skills.
I wish that I could name all the people that this mural celebrates. There is Barak Obama as well as Micheal Jackson, the Jackson Five, and Aretha Franklin but there are other politicians and entertainers too.
A Harlem landmark, the Apollo Theatre features prominently in the mural.
A black panther lurks here too.
Planet Harlem Story is a website to visit if you are interested in more of the story behind the mural.
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Another source for more information about the mural and Harlem’s history can be found at ‘City Lore’ (a site about NYC) where this quote is from: “As the growth in the Black Harlem population continued in the 1920s from places like lower Manhattan, the southern US states, and parts of the Caribbean, an artistic and cultural movement grew to highlight the connections between self-expression, creativity, and Black heritage. Harlem specifically became a place for educators, scholars, writers, jazz musicians, singers, dancers, poets, and activists like Alain Locke, W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Marcus Garvey, Duke Ellington, Alberta Hunter, and so many more….”
The word ‘Infinity’ is written on the man’s gold sleeve. His other sleeve says ‘Faith’.
Yesterday I posted images of a large Obey (Shephard Fairey) mural in New York City that featured the Beastie Boys. Later, I realized that I still had photos of another of his murals that I haven’t shared yet. These were taken in Las Vegas in April 2023.
A large mural featuring the Beastie Boys looms over 14th Ave and Avenue A in New York City. The Beastie Boys started rocking in 1981. They recorded and performed their version of hip hop/rock for more than three decades.
The mural was painted by Shepard Fairey (aka Obey) as part of the NYC Hip Hop 50 celebration in October 2023.
Near 125th subway station (A/B/C) there is a mosaic mural. Original artwork done by Louis Del Sarte and made into a mosaics by Franz Mayer of Munich, 2005. After it was vandalized, it was restored in 2018. It’s a lively scene with musicians and dancers enjoying themselves. Vibrant. Alive.
below: The corner of 125th (also Martin Luther King Blvd) and Frederick Douglas Blvd.
Syracuse filled in the Erie Canal and built a museum to it instead. As part of this museum, a large two storey mural of a canal side warehouse interior was painted on the remains of a 4 storey brick warehouse (1989).
In downtown Barrie there is a narrow alley with a large bright coloured mural by Clandestinos and Shalak Attack
Also downtown is ‘The Container Project’ at Meridian Place. below: One side is the Barrie skyline filled in with flowers and some animals (there’s at least one raccoon). Painted by Katie Green.
The other side of the same container is another Katie Green mural which looks like a collage of Barrie landmarks.
below: On a very pink wall, a mural by Alanah Jewell
In the words of the artist: “The sun will teach us about beginning new every day, and the importance of providing light and warmth. The moon will teach us about the cycles of life and the importance of water. She will teach us that our bodies’ cycles are sacred and will tell us stories of Grandmother Moon The stars will teach us about navigation and our ancestors’ journeys across this land. They will tell us about a time, thousands of years ago, when each of our ancestors started as someone living in harmony with each other and with the land. The bears will teach us about rest, protecting our young, and the importance of strength. They will teach us about survival. The fish will teach us about the depth of the water and the vastness of aquatic life. He will teach us that the water is worth healing and protecting. The eagles will teach us about wisdom, guidance, and a connection to the spirit world. They will tell us about our Creation stories. The cedars will teach us about standing tall and strong. They will tell us to give thanks for this life and the medicines that are abundant all around us.”
Eyes on the Streets 