Mural Unveiled in the Village of Mamaroneck

MAMARONECK, NY – A major work of public art has been added to the streetscape of the Village of Mamaroneck.

The Arts Council and nationally known artist Piero Manrique unveiled Manrique’s latest creation Friday: a large mural depicting a hawk in abstract layers and waves of color covering the side of a one-story building, according to organizers.

Entitled “Free,” the mural, which is the latest addition to the Arts Council’s Arts Live initiative, covers the wall at 630 Mamaroneck Ave., at the corner of Center Avenue.

Arts Council chairwoman Solange De Santis described the work as magnificent.

“It’s so intricate and alive, the more you look at it, the more you see in it,” she said. “We asked Piero Manrique to paint the mural because he is a local artist who has created art across the United States. This mural is a perfect example of the stunning work that has earned him a growing reputation.”

Manrique said he was inspired by the symbolism of his native Peruvian Incan culture, as well as by the traditional art of Native American tribes in North America, in creating the work.

“I chose an image of a hawk to create a striking portrait, with large abstract sections to express the tremendous energy of this mythic creature,” he said. “My hope is that this work will remind the people who see it of the common bonds shared by all cultures, and the power of our collective imagination.”

Manrique’s mural will bring his art to the village where he grew up and where he is based. He moved to the village as a youth and graduated from Mamaroneck High School before attending SUNY Purchase College in Harrison and Parsons School of Design in Manhattan.

To create the effect of sweeping, powerful movement, Manrique combined exterior semi-gloss paints applied with brushes and rollers with layers of spray paint. The stucco wall, covered in thick ridges of plaster, provided the perfect medium for intricate overlay of lines and shapes, adding to the liveliness of the work. Find more about the creation of the mural here.

“This mural is a great addition to our village,” said Mayor Norman Rosenblum. “Art works like this add to and represent the vibrant character of Mamaroneck.”

Arts Live focuses on bringing public art to Mamaroneck’s open spaces to provide focal points that foster a sense of community while creating a visual representation of the evolving village. The program began in May with the unveiling of two sculptures by artist Ernest Shaw near the Mamaroneck Public Library and the Emelin Theater.

In addition to recently completing “Free” in Mamaroneck, Manrique is painting a two-story mural in the lobby of the recently renovated City Center in White Plains. His other local works include cityscape murals at the Gotham Hotel in Manhattan; a graffiti-style mural at the J House Greenwich, a contemporary luxury hotel in Greenwich, Conn.; and four nature murals he created at the Westchester Material Recovery Facility Education Center in Yonkers. In New Rochelle, his works can be seen at the city train station, the New Roc City entertainment center and St. Catherine’s AME Zion Church.

Photo caption: Artist Piero Manrique in front of his mural "Free." Photo credit: Village of Mamaroneck Arts Council.