MCC’s Lowell Campus Gets 5 Murals as Part of Citywide Partnership

This summer, Middlesex Community College got a lot more colorful! In partnership with Project LEARN, ArtUp Lowell and Beyond Walls, Middlesex oversaw the installation of five murals on the college’s buildings in Lowell.

“As a proud community partner, Middlesex is thrilled to be part of a collaboration to provide the space and support for diverse and creative artists to do what they do best, which is to create more access to public art,” said Phil Sisson, MCC President. “Working with these artists provided the college with the opportunity to celebrate the art, culture and the diversity of Lowell, invest in and enhance our campus spaces with five beautiful murals, and foster more representation of the community members we serve.”

The Cowan Center wall mural was painted by Fonki, one of Montreal’s most prominent street artists. A Cambodian artist born in France, Fonki’s parents were refugees of the Khmer Rouge Genocide. He began his work at 15 and has a collection of creations around the world.

For those interested in a firsthand look at Fonki at work, Middlesex will screen his documentary “The Roots Remain” at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 22 at MCC’s Richard and Nancy Donahue Family Academic Arts Center in Lowell. The screening is part of the college’s first ever Lowell Asian American Film Festival, starting on Friday, October 21. Tickets are $5 for the entire weekend, which will feature six other Asian American-directed films.

Two murals were also installed on MCC’s Talbot building on the Derby Park side of Middle Street. One was created by Boston-born artist Mattaya Fitts, whose work combines fiction and reality in a dreamlike state.

The second Talbot building mural was by Quest Nine. From Detroit and now living in New England, Quest Nine has murals in California, the Pacific Northwest, Flint and Detroit, Mich., Boston and Montreal. She is also known locally for her work on the concrete street barriers around Lowell.

Andrew Tricoche is a Puerto Rican artist from Lowell who created the mural on the retaining wall on the back side of Derby Park. A graphic designer and illustrator, Tricoche feels inspired by music, art, fashion and culture.

The fifth mural on MCC’s Facilities building on Howe Street was completed by Golden, an artist based in Miami. One of the most well-known street artists in Florida, he has created large-scale murals worldwide.

“The installation of the murals across Lowell was a true partnership between several institutions in the city that share missions centered on access and equity,” said Patrick Cook, MCC’s Vice President of Administration. “Middlesex is grateful for the work our partners did to connect us with these globally celebrated artists, magnify our buildings’ walls with imaginative and picturesque art, and brighten the landscape of Lowell.”