“The Water Cycle” was created in the spring of 2008 and is featured on the playground of PS 503 in Brooklyn. Groundswell artists Clare Herron and Chris Beck worked with third grade students to create a series of mosaic benches and flower planters for the school. The students were divided into five groups, with each group assigned a section of the water cycle, including sun, clouds, precipitation, runoff, and evaporation. The children learned about the process that water goes through and how it is recycled, which helped them understand the effects of water pollution and conservation. Drawings from each team were replicated in mosaic form on three benches and two flower planters, which are the perfect complement to the schoolyard.

As one of six projects in our Summer Leadership Institute, young women participating in Voices Her’d Visionaries painted a monumental mural exploring female empowerment, immigrant rights, and gender equality: a call to end discrimination in all forms. The mural was designed to show how, from night to day, through motion and connection, we can build community through the arts. The composition moves from right to left and includes large-scale figures of each Voices Her’d participant. Each figure is linked to the next by symbols that honor various human rights movements researched by the young women. The figures begin in a crouched position, their clothes filled with images of the night sky. The buildings on the back of the first figure depict a dense community that suffers from pollution. Bicycle riders move away from the polluted environment to a greener world. Figures are linked by circles and a scale to symbolize legal justice. A chain also weaves its way through the mural, representing the immigration process.

“Family Totems” was created by groups of students at The Urban Assembly School of Music and Art and their parents. The parents and children studied animal symbolism and imagery at the Brooklyn Museum of Art and then created an animal symbol, or totem,to represent their families. During the museum tour, the young people and their parents were encouraged to focus on the similarities between different cultures of the world. The theme of animal symbols is universal. Through this lens, participants were able to see that seemingly disparate cultures have many things in common, not just in terms of visual art, but also in terms of societal values. Participants formed family teams to design their personal family totem symbol, created from at least two different animals. The designs were then turned into stencils and printed with acrylic paint onto two-foot square canvases. The process of parents and children with little artistic experience coming together to create a large-scale work of art was very rewarding for everyone involved.

“Nonviolence” was created in partnership with Inwood House’s Youth-for-R.E.A.L. afterschool program and the Community Change Institute. Commissioned to design and paint an indoor mural in the lobby of MS 399, the students used a variety of media to grapple with a complex issue that directly impacts their community — violence. Through the creative process, the students were able to safely express their own opinions about how situations of violence can be changed. In the mural workshops, they developed powerful imagery that depicts some of the problems leading to violence, including anger, frustration, guns, and police harassment. They also designed creative, uplifting imagery to promote positive alternatives to violence such as friendship, recreational activities, and open communication. The mural sends a positive message to the school community: it is better to try to resolve problems peacefully and amicably than to resort to violence.

“Four Seasons” was created in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, by a group of one hundred eighth graders at MS 73 in Maspeth, NY. The students created five mosaic panels for their new playground, representing the four seasons, and a fifth panel, combining all four. The project engaged students in thinking about the environment and school spirit, and it taught the students about the process of creating a mosaic. Participants discussed how their project might raise appreciation of the four seasons and awareness their relationship to climate change. The students also discovered a new capacity to create things that can beautify and change their community.

 
“Red Hook Through History” was created by 4th grade students at PS 27, guided by Groundswell artists Conor McGrady and Jonathan Bogarin. The students designed the mural based on research of Red Hook’s history, which is part of the 4th grade curriculum. The mural tells the story of this historic neighborhood, beginning with the original Native Americans that settled the area, moving through the pilgrims, and ending with an image of PS 27 students playing. The maritime scenery of Red Hook is also featured in the mural, including ocean liners and the Statue of Liberty in the background. The children who worked on the mural experienced first hand what it means to transform a public space and make a mark on their community. All were excited to participate in this project, transforming the school and a particularly uninspiring block into a colorful vision of Red Hook’s history. The children were proud of the artwork that they created, which helps brighten up their school and neighborhood.

In partnership with the Eugene Lang College for Liberal Arts at The New School, “Encrucijadas” was created by a mural painting class led by Groundswell during the Spring semester of 2008. “Encrucijadas” is the Spanish word for crossroads. This title points to the students’ reinterpretation of Diego Rivera’s famous mural, “Man at the Crossroads Looking with Hope and High Vision to the Choosing of a New and Better Future.” The students created their mural to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the completion of “Man at the Crossroads” as part of a world-wide effort to commemorate the spirit of the piece. Roots are depicted along the mural’s bottom border, to symbolize connectedness. Rivera’s mural is considered a tribute to the worker, while The New School students’ mural focuses on global peace and togetherness. This project marked the 2nd semester of collaboration between Groundswell and The New School.

“Don’t Trash NYC” is made up of four works of public art, created in partnership with Mo’s Carting, a local business that collects and recycles building materials in dumpsters throughout the City. The artists researched how garbage is dealt with in New York City, and came to understand that space is running out in which to contain it. The mural team wanted to show that recycling reduces trash in urban areas, improving quality of life, while also preserving trees and other natural resources that cannot be easily replaced. Using stencils and spray-paint, the team created a stylized design inspired by graffiti and street art. The team stenciled its message onto four containers, whose mobility effectively spread this message throughout New York City.

In spring 2008, Groundswell artists worked with PS 24 and its PAZ afterschool program to create a mural for the school’s entrance. The finished mural celebrates the children of PS 24 and presents a vision for their personal growth, both academically and as dreamers. The population of PS 24 largely consists of first and second generation immigrant children. During the mural design process, students were asked to consider what they most care about, their dreams, and what activities they do to realize these dreams. This process enabled them to assess both their own dreams and the dreams of their communities, and how they intend to build a greater future for themselves. As Lead Artist Katie Yamasaki explained, “Because the entrance where we were painting is the primary entrance for the staff of PS 24, I believed it was important for the mural to serve as a reminder to teachers that to nurture the dreams and imaginations of the children is just as important as nurturing their academic growth.”

In spring 2008, Groundswell worked with a group of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders to create a mural for PS 261 in Boerum Hill. Comprised of action-inspiring words that span the length of the 400-foot wall, the mural explores the importance of communication and cooperation between all members of the community. The mural includes a colorful background that is full of abstract shapes and designs. Overlaying this abstraction are blocked-out words that call the viewer to action. Many of the words are verbs, encouraging the children to play, talk to one another, and keep active. The use of varying typography contributes to the movement and energy of the mural.