(Artist Manny Vega Title Espiritu 2013. Photo Taken October 7, 2016)
It’s good to leave the office and experience your surroundings sometimes. Derrick and I took advantage of the amazing weather to document a few of the murals/public art pieces located on various street corners, school building walls, building facades, and parking lots in the Museum’s East Harlem neighborhood. East Harlem, commonly referred to as El Barrio, has been an artistic hub for several decades.
We first saw the mural titled Freedom and Emancipation of The Natural World, created by artist Sego, located on East 104th Street and Madison Avenue. According to Untapped Cities, Sego approaches murals in a detailed style with abstract flourishes. The name Ovbal is used by the same artist to make a distinction from the works he creates using the “Sego style”. According to Street Art Bio’s profile of Sego, he has created many murals in his hometown of Mexico City. In many of his works, animals and magical beings are portrayed in colorful and textured detail that show the subject’s individuality. He applied this same individuality to the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty is usually described as stoic. The statue’s copper construction doesn’t allow for many fine details that could convey facial emotions to viewers. In contrast, the red coloring of the Statue of Liberty’s facade in Sego’s mural seems to be symbolic of human muscle tissue. The red glow in her eye hints at a soulful being that demands recognition as an individual and a symbol. As seen on his blog, Sego “draws” a rough outline of his artwork from which he then “fills in” with a mix of traditional and spray paint. Sego’s mixing of themes, connecting his visual representation with location, appears to be a theme that inspired other works such as the Big Jump mural, also created in New York. In his words, Sego notes “We did a mural titled The Big Jump [El gran salto]. Previously, I was interested in the shapes of a grasshopper, so painting one seemed a good idea, both because of its symbolism and ability to jump so high, which only grasshoppers know how to do. The allusion was the “big jump” that immigrants from all over the world make when they arrive in New York looking for the American dream. This has contributed to creating one of the biggest, most interesting and diverse countries, not only on the continent, but also in the world.”
In addition to creating this work, Sego along with other muralists, have their work exhibited in the exhibition titled Mexican Street Artists, presented at the Dorian Grey Gallery. The other muralists’ artwork can be seen at this link.
(Artist Sego Photo Taken October 7, 2016 al “Freedom and Emancipation of The Natural World”)
One of my favorite murals is located on 108th Street and Lexington Avenue. Created by Belgium artist Roa, the mural portrays an encounter between an anteater, squirrel, armadillo, and a raccoon that seems laced with tension. Street Art Bio’s profile of Roa describes animals as being one of his main inspirations in his murals. One of the most distinctive aspects of the mural is Roa’s use of squirrels. I’ve had some lively encounters with these intelligent creatures. The anteater is portrayed as reacting in a startled manner that is reminiscent of how New Yorkers are sometimes shocked by squirrels’ speed and ingenuity. The squirrel is drawn in a pose that is reminiscent of a squirrels’ reaction to humans: a mix of coyness and possible innocence. According to Remezcla, Roa commented on his work by saying, “I love the diversity of the animal kingdom and the various ways they live and survive with each other. Indirectly, the animal’s contemporary fate and habitat issues, echoing [sic] the human behavior and the recklessness of humankind with nature. Some animals actually adapt their ways to our lifestyle in order to survive, other species become extinct.” According to StreetArt News, the massive mural took a week to paint and also involved a mixture of spray and traditional paint. You can see the mural’s creation and Roa’s process here, and learn more about his other works here.
(Photo taken October 7, 2016 Artist: Roa 2015.)
(Artist Manny Vega Title Espiritu 2013. Photo Taken October 7, 2016)
(Artist Manny Vega Title Espiritu 2013. Photo Taken October 7, 2016)
(Artist Manny Vega Title Espiritu 2013. Photo Taken October 7, 2016)
Espiritu, a beautiful glistening mosaic mural located on 105th Street and Lexington Avenue was created by self-described Byzantine hip-hop artist Manny Vega. Immediately upon seeing the mural, I understood why he describes himself this way. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, mosaics were created as decoration for the walls of churches, which included imagery known as icons or religious images. Vega applied that same concept to Espiritu. According to Vega, “The purpose of my art is to create a place for all people to recognize themselves as members as members of a global community. Through shared information about our histories, customs and beliefs systems, we can reflect, compare and continue to learn from one another.” This is strongly presented in his artwork, which includes symbols of Puerto Rican culture. Drums, bomba, and dancers are juxtaposed with spiritual beings and pop icon John Lennon, who in spite of his death, arguably remains a “spirit” symbol in NYC. This mural was created as part of the Los Muros Hablan Festival, which had the theme of diaspora. Vega’s seems to use Afro-Cuban/Afro-Brazilian religious imagery to show how NYC includes many traditions from the Americas and Africa. The mixing of cultural, religious, and pop cultural images hints at how diasporic identities are complex, mixing characteristics that are both physical and spirit. Mosaic works are deeply personal for Vega, who seeks to create permanent lasting works that celebrate his heritage. He commented in the NY Times, “This is about permanence”. He goes on to say, “El Barrio has history, but nobody was keeping it alive. This is about being here for years and years, so when someone comes by and sees this, they’ll say, ‘Man, those Puerto Ricans had class. This is Byzantine cut!’ Vegas’s strong conviction of celebrating Puerto Rican motifs along with those of his religion resonates deeply with him because, as he stated in a PIX 11 profile, “But I also live with the notion that art can also be in your day to day, in your living environment where you live. It should be around you, the same way that air and water and the natural elements surround you, because it does enrich your life, it does exalt the aesthetic of your living.” You can find more of Manny Vegas’s mosaics at the 110th Street 6 train station as well as many others in East Harlem. Check out his website here and a video of the opening ceremony for the mosaic here.
(Artist: Lunar New Year 2013 end of race / Libertad y Xul Antes del Desayunó Photo Taken October 7, 2016)
Artist Lunar New Year, Ecuadorian artist based in Newark, created the End of Race / Libertad y Xul Antes del Desayunó mural located on 100th Street and Third Avenue. The title of the work is reflective of the intensity of the emotions expressed by the woman and her child portrayed in the mural. The woman displays defiance and contemplation as she holds her baby daughter. According to an interview he gave to the nj.com, his inspiration for the mural was a lady named Libertad from the Bronx. Libertad translates to “liberty” in English. He goes on to say, "The simplest metaphor for this would be there's a rebirth or the future of the U.S. represented through World Trade One." He also mentions, "But it's also about the resurgence of this generation of people that are like myself. I feel really good that I can represent that." It is a powerful image to see Libertad standing as one with the One World Trade Center building. Her emotions and sense of self elevate her physical height to a spiritual height. As a symbol in the horizon that is highly visible to all New Yorkers, it can interpreted that Libertad represents NY as much as this landmark does. While there’s already a Libertad symbol in NY Harbor, close to where One World Trade Center is located named “Lady Liberty”, Libertad appears to be a new symbol in her own right New Yorkers and Americans of the present. She stands strong, gazing across the horizon, decisive in her own standing as claiming her space here in NY.
While murals may not be framed and regularly exhibited in museums, their presence on buildings makes visceral connections with their complex themes. We hope you can experience murals and other forms of public art. Rhythm & Power encompasses various forms of art making and story telling. We hope to share more aspects of rhythm and power with you as you share your moments with us.
Community historian and Curatorial Intern at the Museum of City of New York
https://streetartnews.net/2015/10/sego-creates-new-mural-in-harlem-new.html
https://streetartnews.net/2015/10/roa-paints-massive-mural-in-harlem-nyc.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/25/nyregion/25citywide.html
http://pix11.com/2015/07/25/artist-manny-vega-to-bring-beauty-inspiration-to-nycha-residents/
http://web.archive.org/web/20160111173440/http://losmuroshablannyc.com/#map
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jaime-rojo-steven-harrington/los-muros-hablan-nyc-a-vo_b_3863452.html
http://lnylnylny.com/filter/mural/the-end-of-race-Libertad-y-Xul-antes-del-desayuno
http://gothamist.com/2015/06/19/east_harlem_street_art.php#photo-24
http://untappedcities.com/2015/10/12/11-international-street-artists-painting-nycs-el-barrio-for-monumentart-2015/
http://www.unurth.com/Ovbal-Y-Sego-Mexico-City
http://www.brooklynstreetart.com/theblog/2015/10/21/monumentart-new-murals-sing-of-el-barrio-in-2015/#.V_2s0Mf0dsN
http://www.streetartbio.com/roa
http://www.streetartbio.com/sego-ovbal
http://www.brooklynstreetart.com/theblog/2015/10/21/monumentart-new-murals-sing-of-el-barrio-in-2015/#.V_2sxcf0dsO
http://thebronxfreepress.com/the-walls-that-speak-paredes-que-hablan/
theartofmadeline
pixelskylines
andulkaphoto
germansingergirl
snowghoul
2087
origamiaround
dededos
kianamaiart
tangentwithtanner
