Must-See Public Art: New Rochelle State of Mind
Over the last few weeks an eclectic crew of international street artists landed in the city of New Rochelle to help create of one of the largest collections of murals in Westchester. The murals were organized by Street Art for Mankind (SAM), a local non-profit activist group, who use murals serve to spread awareness about the fight against child labor and trafficking. In just three years, they have brought dozens of artists to create pieces in Mamaroneck, Larchmont, Mid-town Manhattan, the Financial District and now, in their largest project yet, to New Rochelle.
Although street art has a distinct style, the artists on this project range widely in terms of their aesthetic and approach, resulting in a diverse collection of pieces. One of the artists, Dan Kitchener, who goes by DanK, created a colorful, photorealistic city scene at 38 Division Street that pedestrians will be able to engage with at eye level. The rainy, neon street depicted in the piece has a distinctly global look, and includes a subtle nod to street art legend Invader, famous for his 8-bit ceramic depictions of video game characters that he covertly installs in cities all over the world.
Copenhagen-based artist, Victor Ash, who was commissioned to cover the north side of the downtown Radisson Hotel, is contributing a gigantic portrait of former astronaut Mae Carol Jemison, the first black woman to travel into space. The 10-story mural arrives just weeks after the first all-female spacewalk and embodies a spirit of empowerment and hope.
Street Art for Mankind co-founders Audrey and Thibault Decker worked in collaboration with the City of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle Council on the Arts to organize the expansive project. This Saturday, those efforts will culminate with a public Mural Art Walk. The two mile tour of the murals will be followed by a ticketed reception with an opportunity to meet the artists.
With more murals planned for New Rochelle and other parts of the county, Thibault Decker describes their vision for an “Art Belt,” connecting their Midtown murals to the expanding collection along the New Haven line.
Participating Street Artists:
AEC | DanK | ELLE | JDL | Loic Ercolessi | Lula Goce | Mr Cenz | Victor Ash
All photos provided by Street Art for Mankind and taken by Ben Lau @just_a_spectator
