Washington Houses Community Center

I was chosen by @unionsettlement and @andrewfranzarchitect to create a Welcome art installation for the new community center at Washington Houses. This project was especially near and dear to my heart and gave me an opportunity to pay homage to East Harlem’s rich history of activism, innovation, creativity, and strong sense of community. I used a mixed media technique for this project, combining painting, decoupage, and carpentry to create a collage of images and patterns that represent the culture, music, history, and diversity of El Barrio; including a Senegalese wax print, a portrait of Gloria DeNard of the Manna House, a Boogaloo track from Fania Records, the black liberation flag, and a painted rendering of a photograph taken by Michael Abramson of the Young Lords protesting in the streets of East Harlem, to name a few. I enjoyed the process of working on this project so much, from sourcing the materials from local markets to speaking to other artists and community members. Thank you to everyone who helped bring this to fruition: my models @cassie_celine and @jclalin, @nailsbyshani for collaborating with your ideas, Iris Morales and Michael Abramson for facilitating use of this powerful image, and to my installation team @therusso66. And last but not least, Thank you @unionsettlement and @andrewfranzarchitect for this opportunity! You can see the piece in person, along with a beautiful mural by @am_nyc at the Washington Houses Community Center during their working hours.