A Beautiful Mural for Monterey Houses

A colorful, new mural was unveiled at Monterey Houses on January 25. “Multigenerational Bloom” brings stories of the past and present to life in vivid color, highlighting activists and everyday community members, and it’s a much-welcomed addition to the development.

The mural was created by Groundswell, a Brooklyn-based community arts organization that brings together artists, young people, and other organizations to create public art for social change. It was funded thanks to $20,000 from Council Member Ritchie Torres.

At the unveiling event, Council Member Torres said, “The complexity and richness of life in public housing is too important to reduce to a stereotype or a caricature, and the story of public housing should be told by the residents through the medium of public art.”

In attendance at the unveiling were Groundswell Executive Director Robyne Walker Murphy, artists Nadia Voynovskaya and Publio Lantigua Alvarez, and Monterey Houses Resident Association President Gil Simmons, who received special recognition for his help in the project by having his name painted on the mural.

“Multigenerational Bloom” was painted by lead Groundswell artist Nadia Voynovskaya and apprentice artists Karina Linares and Publio Lantigua Alvarez, with help from Monterey Houses resident Darryl Sisco. Mr. Sisco, a painter, has previously helped create murals at the development. For this mural, he painted the building in the center as well as some of the flowers.

The mural features notable people, including civil rights activists Bayard Rustin and his partner David Platt, Septima Clark, and Mamie Till; DJ Kool Herc, one of the founders of hip-hop music; and two boys eating breakfast as part of the Black Panther Party’s free breakfast program.

NYCHA’s Director of Bronx Property Management Dennis Ovalle also attended the event. Of the mural he said: “It’s a showstopper that all residents and community members will enjoy. It helps strengthen residents’ connection to their communities, giving people a sense of ownership and pride for where they live. I hope to see more new murals at other NYCHA developments in the future.”

Council Member Torres previously funded “Public Art/Public Housing,” a partnership with Groundswell and NYCHA that created 15 murals painted by young NYCHA residents at Castle Hill, Queensbridge, Saint Nicholas, Stapleton, and Tompkins Houses during the summer of 2016. 

Watch coverage of the unveiling of “Multigenerational Bloom” on News 12 The Bronx.