8 Murals Unveiled On New Rochelle Streets

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The City of New Rochelle continues to expand its public art offerings with the recent premiere of “NRNY Artsy Murals,” an inspiring art walk curated by Street Art for Mankind. The walk consists of eight large, new murals that reflect the unique creativity, diversity and forward-thinking of the New Rochelle community, according to officials.

On Saturday, the public was able to join Mayor Noam Bramson, Audrey and Thibault Decker of Street Art for Mankind, the New Rochelle Council on the Arts and international street artists on a walk throughout downtown New Rochelle for the unveiling of the eight unique murals. The walk began at the Southside Plaza at 134 North Avenue in New Rochelle.

The New Rochelle Council on the Arts worked with Street Art for Mankind to bring the murals to the city. It also served as a liaison between the art organization and the city throughout the project’s approval and permitting process.

Themes illustrated through the murals include:

• Artistic creativity (a tribute to New Rochelle born star singer Don McLean and New York State icon Alicia Keys)
• Gender equality (tribute to local suffragettes and the centennial in 2020 of US women’s right to vote)
• Harmony between urban life and nature
• New Rochelle’s New York City vibe
• Cultural Diversity that unites the New Rochelle community
• Sustainability efforts made by the city
• People connecting in a world where social media and technology are omnipresent
• Forward-looking New Rochelle, full of dreams to meet the future.

The themes were put together by Street Art for Mankind in collaboration with the City of New Rochelle and the New Rochelle Council on the Arts. The project received $50,000 in support from the City of New Rochelle’s Corporation for Local Development .

Similar to the themes, the participating street artists reflect diversity in gender, styles and nationalities, according to a spokesperson. The artists include AEC of Ukraine, DanK of Great Britain, Elle of the U.S. and Australia, JDL of the Netherlands, Loic Ercolessi of the U.S. and France, Lula Goce of Spain, Mr. Cenz of Great Britain and Victor Ash of Denmark, France and Portugal.

“The NRNY murals are big, bold, creative and fun. Diverse in style yet complementary, all together they testify of the unique personality of New Rochelle,” said Audrey and Thibault Decker, co-founders of Street Art for Mankind.

Mayor Noam Bramson said the city was thrilled to work with Street Art for Mankind to further enliven the downtown streetscape.

"These murals bring beauty and creative energy to previously blank spaces, as part of our comprehensive commitment to a culturally vibrant city center,” he said.

The NRNY murals are linked by a free, downloadable app, “Behind the Wall,” that combines augmented reality content and audio-guide features, making the murals truly interactive. They join Street Art for Mankind’s Midtown, Larchmont and Mamaroneck murals, forming together a continuous street art belt starting at Grand Central and continuing along the Sound Shore.

The “NRNY Artsy Murals” were made possible with the generous support of the City of New Rochelle, as well the New Rochelle Council on the Arts, the Sills Foundation, Toyota, Honda and Mazda of New Rochelle, Delta Air Lines, Lordae, Radisson New Rochelle, Watermark Pointe, MetroNorth Deals & Gateways and Hand Crafted Catering and Events.

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