Derailed by Mike DeAngelo (2021)
Location: 422 Valley St.Derailed by Connecticut-based artist Mike DeAngelo juxtaposes past with present and the temporal with the emotional/intellectual realms. In this work commissioned by US Rubber Lofts and Bradley Sullivan Properties, DeAngelo leaned into the locomotive theme in reading about US Rubber Lofts and American Locomotive Company. Mike's family came to America in the early 20th century, an era of industrial boom with its ups and downs, but nevertheless a seminal point in history that contributed to where America is today. In the artist’s words: “Freight trains are an iconic symbols of almost every industry and transported people and goods. The trains and being held up by Sophrosyne or Temperance, a Greek symbol of discipline and morality. Behind her is Wisdom, depicted as an elderly woman. Sophrosyne is depicted as a strong woman, fitting for a manifestation of discipline, hoisting up a train car, while Wisdom supports from behind. I see the combination of old--the Classical Greek references--and new--the symbols of industry--as a visual interpretation of both the industrial history of Providence, and the moral backbone that helped that era grow. Morals like temperance and discipline that will continue to help us grow and move forward in the march towards progress of which we are all a part, and wisdom as playing a role in reflecting upon our past, when looking toward the future."DeAngelo created the design for this mural while taking a painting course in Italy, during which he had the opportunity to see Caravaggio’s famous painting, Judith Slaying Holofernes. In an homage to the great painter and his own personal Italian heritage, Mike used the figures of Judith and her servant Abra, but ascribed them with new identities--Judith becomes Temperance and Abra becomes Wisdom.Material: C2 Paint, Montana Gold SpraypaintArtist IG: @refractualismSupporters: US Rubber Lofts, Brady Sullivan Properties~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~Note the use of light in the mural. Where does it come from and how does the artist use it to express mood?Are there elements in the mural that may be hidden or less obvious?How do the figures on the right (Temperance and Wisdom) engage with the locomotive? What do you think this signals to the viewer?
West End Funk by Swerve
“West End Funk” by Swerve, featuring gregwashere and Back at 1386 Westminster St. is a tribute to the West End neighborhood and the artists' 40+ year legacy of painting in Rhode Island. It also draws inspiration from Providence’s beloved Big Nazo and Community Music Works. “This production pays homage to Funk and Rhythm. It also gives a wink to tradition that was created in our region. The radio in particular is derived from a painting on the Pawtucket S-curves circa 1985. A few of these characters come from the BIG NAZO fam. These characters are all original thoughts that move me and hopefully will be a creative force to others.” - Swerve.This piece is a vibrant love letter to the people, past and present, who maintain the lifeblood of the community’s creativity and whimsy. This mural is part of the Ripples Project, a public art initiative led by TAC with support from the City of Providence Office of Mayor Brett P. Smiley and Department of Art, Culture and Tourism.📷: Small Frye PhotographySupport by Look Alive Signs
The revolution starts in the earth, with the self by Jess X. Snow & Gavriel Cutipa-Zorn (2019)
Location: 1055 Westminster StreetJess X. Snow is a queer, migrant, Asian-Canadian artist, filmmaker, poet and RISD alum. Gavriel Cutipa-Zorn is a doctoral candidate in American studies at Yale and a Brown grad. They first met in Providence, a time which both say proved crucial to their personal development. They returned to collaborate on this mural, which Snow designed using symbolism and mythology drawn from Cutipa-Zorn’s research and dissertation on transnational solidarity. The concept is inspired by the struggles of both Latinx and Palestinian peoples at the borders between the US/Mexico and Israel/Palestine. It depicts the silhouetted profiles of Providence-based, Queer Guatemalan organizer Vanessa Maldonado Flores and New Orleans-based Palestinian organizer Amira, as well as plant and animal life symbolic of the ways that solidarity can cross borders and break through walls. Read more about the work on our blog and in this fantastic article on Hyperallergic.Material: C2 paint, Montana Gold Spray CanArtist IG: @jessxsnowSpecial thanks to: Providence Community Acupuncture, Adler's Hardware, C&E Anderson, Hudson St Deli, Vanessa Flores-Maldonado, Amira, Zoraida Ingles, PrYSM, Ian Cozzens, Peter Pa, Kah Yangni, Dan Sway, Curtis Livingston, Jarrett Key.~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~What is the first thing you notice when you look at this mural?What animals and parts of the body do you see?What do you notice about the way the artist paints the earth and the sky?What do you think the women in the mural might be thinking or saying to each other?What is most interesting to you about this mural?What questions would you ask the artist about this artwork?What are your favorite colors in the mural?What story do you think is being told here?
Razzle Dazzle by Dan O’Neill (2015)
Location: 221 Broad St. - on the school campusRazzle Dazzle is a mural installed by Dan O' Neill as part of a multi-artist series at the Classical High School in Providence. The lines, shapes, and shadows of Razzle Dazzle follow the rhythm of the school day. Similarly, the mural's color palette reflects a conscious choice to portray how sunlight and shadow affect color throughout the day. Inspired by the geometric "razzle dazzle" technique used to camouflage WWI battleships, O'Neill also used bright colors, light, and shadow to seemingly alter the shape of the building and ultimately impact the students' perspective of the space. O'Neill explains, "It's not a figurative mural with a specific political or social message, but a feeling that the space is here for you. To show students how this kind of brutalist, monochromatic concrete courtyard is really a canvas that's waiting for all this artwork to happen on it... That's what I wanted to get across with the act of painting it."Material: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray PaintArtist website: www.dan-oneill.comSpecial thanks to: Classical High School, Central High School~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~How does the artist use colors and shapes to make the building’s shape look different than it really is?How is this mural different from other murals you've seen?What is your favorite part of this mural? Do you think the artist should have done the entire building?
Anchored by DAK1.NE (2015)
Location: 221 Broad St. - on the school campusAnchored is part of a multi-artist mural series that embellished the “Cultural Corridor,” a courtyard between Classical and Central high schools. Anchored fits into a larger body of work by DAK.1NE in which he focuses on visual interpretations of his native Hawaiian culture and ancient stories with a modern approach. Here, DAK.1NE intertwines a sperm whale (representing Rhode Island) and a humpback whale (representing Hawaii) with their respective calves swimming in the depths of a dark blue ocean. The whales were chosen for the high school location because of their Hawaiian cultural significance as keepers of knowledge and guides who help boaters traveling between islands.The mural itself seems to evoke water in its fluidity of colors and shapes. Rooted in traditional graffiti, DAK.1NE mixes his own colors, and selects the nozzles to create texture in the whale’s skin. He also included fluorescent paint in the whales so they glisten under LED lights. DAK.1NE explains his painting technique, “I get technical when it comes to the way I use the cans and buff, but when it comes to concept and stuff, I like to keep it as organic and free-flowing as I can. I just treat it like water and let it flow.” Local high school students were invited to dip their hands in paint and leave their handprints as an underlayer that creates texture within the mural and incorporates them into the work as part of the story.Material: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray PaintArtist IG: @dakine.dak1neSpecial thanks to: Classical High School, Central High School~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~What are the different types of animals pictured in this artwork? Can you name the different species of whale and where they are found in the world?The artist is from Hawai’i and depicts visual interpretations of his native culture and ancient stories in this piece. Can you identify those elements?Whales are known as keepers of knowledge and as guides who help boaters traveling between islands. Can you imagine why the artist would place whales in a mural in this particular environment? What is he saying about what happens here?
Graffiti Mural Trolls by Pfunk (2015)
Location: 221 Broad St. - on the school campusRhode Island artists BIG NAZO and PFunk teamed up to create the Graffiti Mural Trolls installation as part of a multi-artist series in the Cultural Corridor between Classical and Central High School. BIG NAZO is an artist collective interested in creating wearable sculpture based on the designs of founding member Erminio Pinque. Similarly, muralist PFunk (aka Paul Morse) creates unique characters that pop out from his art in vibrant technicolor. This was the first time the artists met and collaborated on Graffiti Mural Trolls, where PFunk’s signature character features such as big chins were brought to life in the foam rubber puppets of BIG NAZO. PFunk provided the paint for the puppets and their backdrop: a mural of five original characters. The puppets and mural were integrated into the ”Rock the Block” event at the high school with the finished BIG NAZO characters standing in front of the mural as moving elements.Significantly, PFunk who also works in the Providence community and mentors youth, painted late at night. Young and emerging artists stayed out with him, sketching and talking about their work transforming the otherwise dark and sometimes derelict space into a hub of positive artistic exchange.Material: Montana Gold Spray PaintArtist IG: @pfunkdabeastSpecial thanks to: Classical High School, Central High School~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~How does the artist represent humans in terms of size and scale? What are the ways that the artist integrates his name into the work?This artwork was done in collaboration with young artists and also BIG NAZO puppets. How do you think the experience of this artwork would change with people and moving elements?
Untitled by Shida (2015)
Location: 221 Broad St. - on the school campusThis mural was created on a smokestack located between Classical and Central High School. Painted in his signature style, Shida also incorporated the two schools' official colors. As one of the tallest structures on Broad St, this artwork marks the entrance to the West End and invites residents to explore the historic neighborhood.Material: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray PaintArtist IG: @mik_shidaSpecial thanks to: Classical High school, Central High School~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~Walk from one side of the tower around to the other. Which side do you feel more drawn to?How do you think the artist painted this piece? How do you think they thought about what to paint and what colors to use?If you could use this tower to paint a mural, what would you design?
Selfie Wall by James Mustin (2019)
Location: 248 Broad StreetThe Selfie Wall was created to bring public art to the people of Providence. A fun splash of color, this mural encourages the community to interact with the piece and snap an interesting photo to share with friends.Material: Montana Gold Spray PaintSpecial thanks to: Trinity Square Together~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~What is special and different about how this mural engages with the public?What do you notice about the way that the wings are constructed? Can you find the differences between the left and right wings? Can you see where the designs correspond to one another between the two?Where do you think the artist drew his inspiration from the various elements in the wings?What do you think these kinds of interactive murals do for the neighborhood in which they live?Bonus: take a picture of yourself in front of the wings and tag us in your selfie or email us at hello@theavenueconcept.org
Lost in the Big City by Ryan Richardson
Location: 316 Lockwood AveArtist Ryan Richardson is a muralist and sign painter skilled at collaborating with other artists and clients to develop and execute visual content that embodies the community and enhances the surrounding environment. Ryan has worked together with clients such as the Jamestown Art Center, Boston Children’s Museum, Project Weber Renew, Leadership RI, Seven Stars Bakery, Frog & Toad, and Civil skate shop. His work not only includes illustration based work but also typography. Ryan likes to think of himself as a meticulous craftsman, versatile artist and thoughtful communicator. Ryan is a Chilean artist based in Providence, RI.Ryan likes to reinterpret old advertisements in his work, allowing them to speak to current issues in society. He likes to keep his work slightly ambiguous to allow the viewer to draw their own interpretation.That being said, as he worked on the design of the mural, he began to see the topic of gentrification in Providence come into the foreground. The woman's concerned look in the mural and the question, "What is the answer?" all are centered around this theme.Material: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray PaintArtist IG: @lookalivesignsSpecial thanks to: Apollo Roofing~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~What do the lettering elements in this artwork convey to you?What do you make of the woman's expression? What do you think she is contemplating?How does the artwork make you feel?
Artolution
Location: 304 Lockwood Ave.This is what happens when you bring community together around public art!Four community organizations, 20 youth participants and countless stories are reflected in this new mural on the front façade of The Avenue Concept headquarters on the South Side. Nonviolence Institute, Rhode Island Latino Arts, Haus of Codec & Providence World Music brought together their collective creativity, along with Artolution and Art Educator Anna Chapman to make a community work of art that weaves in themes and stories that reflect the community around The Avenue Concept. Collaborators on this project included residents of the area. They chose a variety of topics to paint into the mural including drug abuse, gentrification, police brutality and animal welfare. This project was made possible with the support of The Papitto Opportunity ConnectionMaterial: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray Paint~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~How does this mural make you feel?What themes jump out to you the most?Are these themes important to you? If so, why?What colors do you like in this mural?(Go inside the chain link fence to see the legal graffiti walls!)
Love Is A Many Gendered Thing by Brian Kenny (2021)
Location: 32 Central StreetNYC-based artist Brian Kenny created the mural "Love Is A Many Gendered Thing" as an homage to the Trans and Queer communities of Providence and the world. This mural residency was a collaboration between TAC and Open Door Health, the first and only LBGTQ+ clinic in Rhode Island.The piece is full of hidden iconography and also features various people Brian felt compelled to capture and celebrate.The faces featured are:Cristina Hayworth (she/her) (NYC) (deceased)Tatiana Jones (she/her) (Providence)Sylvia Rivera (she/her) (NYC) (deceased)Elle Moxley (she/her) (NYC/LA)Kayden (he/him) (Providence)Richie De Filippo (he/him) (Providence)Chris Harris (he/him) (Providence) (deceased)iO Tillet Wright (he/him) (NYC/LA)Alice Firefly (she/they) (Providence)Shey Rivera Rios (they/them) (Providence)Nielle Taylor (they/them) (Providence)Nicholas Platzer (he/him) (Providence/Miami)The Merman is an ode to Matt Garza (they/them) and the incredible work they have done through the Haus of Glitter in Providence.Other references and hidden imagery in the mural include:Snakes as a symbol of knowledge and wisdom.Butterflies as a symbol for transformation.Human teeth as a totem for humankind and as a symbol of the generations who have come before us.Nautical references as an ode to the Ocean State and Merfolk.Blue Violet flowers as the Rhode Island state flower.The shirt with watermelons and pineapples is a nod to the mural "She Never Came" by Bezt which was installed in Providence in 2015.Mr. Gay RI worldwide is adorned with the LGBTQ+ Equality symbol and a sash of the Progress Pride flag.The Transgender symbol is on the center top of the mural.The blue and pink lava lamp shapes in the background are meant to represent the idea of Gender fluidity with the violet representing the spectrum in between. The bubbles that break the white frame are meant to symbolize the idea that sometimes gender identity can also fall outside the lines we think of.* Brian would like to especially thank Alice Firefly who worked tirelessly with him to complete the mural. She was an integral part of the mural process.Material: C2 PaintArtist IG: @briankennny Supporters: Open Door Health, Pearl Street Lofts Association, Armory Revival Corporation, Adler's Design Center & Hardware, Hilton ProvidenceSpecial thanks to: Alice Firefly who was Brian’s collaborator on the installation of the mural and to our partnering organizations, The Pearl Street Lofts Association and Armory Revival Company, for providing the site location, and Open Door Health for partnering with The Avenue Concept on funding to make this public art project happen.~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~Stand back and allow your eyes to take in the entire painting. What do you notice in the way that the artist has used images, portraits, and line to make the mural dynamic?Now look closely at one section of the mural at a time. What symbols stand out to you? How are they used across the artwork?What are you curious about? What would you want to ask the artist to explain?What are your favorite elements?
Night Flight by Lauren YS/Squidlicker (2016)
Location: 2 Booth St.Lauren YS, now known as Squidlicker, was excited to return to Providence after they had studied years before at Brown and RISD. Their mural is inspired by a Gypsy Moth epidemic Rhode Island was dealing with at the time of the mural. Much of their work is inspired by the beauty of nature.Material: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray PaintArtist IG: @squid.lickerSpecial thanks to: Jones Warehouse, Adler's Design Center & Hardware~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~What elements of nature do you see in this mural?What elements of nature acting like humans do you see in this mural?What do you notice about the way that the moth figure reflects on the wall?Why do you think it’s called “Night Flight”?
Battlecat by Nychos (2016)
Location: 2 Booth St.Battlecat is painted by Austrian artist Nychos after his successful solo show in New York. It is his biggest mural in the Americas, and portrays the endangered snow leopard. Nychos is known as a street surgeon because of his signature style that pays incredible attention to detail in the anatomy of the animals he dissects in his art.Material: C2 Paint, Montana Gold Spray PaintArtist IG: @nychosSpecial thanks to: Jones Warehouse, Adler's Design Center & Hardware~TAKE A CLOSER LOOK~This mural requires some careful looking. What do you notice about the body of the cat in the mural?What kinds of body systems do you see there? (Skeletal, circulatory, digestive, integumentary a.k.a. skin/fur)Notice the fish in the mural. Do you know what kind of fish that is? Why do you think the artist chose that kind of fish for the mural? (We have salmon in RI and the artist includes native species in his work).
