Mural to Celebrate Unity Has Begun at Albany Plaza in Lower Manhattan
The Downtown Alliance has commissioned street artist and ambassador to the United Nations High Commission of Refugees Chinòn Maria to paint "One World, Our Children ", a 200 ft. long temporary outdoor mural that will celebrate unity and the collective strength of working together. The mural, which was begun on September 25, will take four weeks to paint and the public can watch the artist in action Monday through Saturday, 1-6pm.
When complete, "One World, Our Children" will cover the 12 -foot tall back wall of Site 5 in Albany Plaza on the World Trade Center campus. The piece will feature nine portraits that show our common heritage by tracing the human migration from Africa to every corner of the world. Using Chinòn Maria's signature style of bold colors and youthful feminine faces, the mural will be a powerful visual journey to raise awareness about refugees worldwide through positive depictions of cultural diversity.
Chinòn Maria has invited children from around the neighborhood and across the world to contribute by submitting written words that describe their ideal future. Chinòn Maria will incorporate the children's words, in their own handwriting when possible, into the mural.
Chinòn Maria's work can be seen at 4WTC's 69th floor and at the World Trade Gallery:
"We hope this wall inspires people to come together and reflect, even if for just a moment, in a quiet corner of Lower Manhattan, " said Downtown Alliance President Jessica Lappin.
"I am honored to create the mural 'One World, Our Children' highlighting the importance of upholding the ideal that all people are born equal and deserve equal rights and dignity," said Chinòn Maria. "Lower Manhattan reminds us that this city was built by the hard work of immigrants, and for millions this neighborhood was the doorway to their dreams and bright future."
Similar to the Downtown Alliance's 2007 program Re:Construction, which recast construction areas as canvases to bring nearly 30 engaging, thoughtful and whimsical artworks to the neighborhood, "One World, Our Children" is an effort to temporarily brighten the streetscape and will come down once plans are underway at the site.
About Chinòn Maria
Chinòn Maria was born and raised in the Green Mountains of Vermont. She first began cultivating her creative path by secretly drawing and painting on the walls of her home. She attended the Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art in France, undergraduate programs through the Rhode Island School of Design and graduated with a BFA from Montana State University. Previously a professional alpine skier, Chinòn Maria began a career in the arts immediately after her retirement from competitive sports at 24. Her Colombian roots have greatly impacted her use of a vibrant colorful palette while her lifelong influences and fascination with feminism, textile design, the golden age of animation, drag queens, urban street art and the fashion industry are present throughout her work. Committed to global social causes and her responsibility of being an artist, much of her work sheds light on topics concerning the perceptions of gender, race and sexuality . An advocate of art education for children, world history and immigration rights Chinòn Maria regularly involves communities to be part of her murals to actively inspire others through creativity.
Chinòn Maria has exhibited her work internationally in galleries and on walls throughout North America and Europe and her works and projects have been featured in the New York Times, Now This Her, Forbes Magazine, HBO Vice News, ABC News, NBC News, Associated Press, Animal Planet, Downtown Magazine, the Korean Times, Global Street Art, Southern Vermont Living, and more!