A Vision for Peace Appears In Fair Haven

by Lee Cruz and Lucy Gellman, Nov. 12, Arts Paper

Just off Grand Avenue, one side of the Fair Haven Branch Library has come to life. It marks the culmination of a new peace-themed mural at the Fair Haven Branch Library, thanks to a collaboration among CITYarts, the Yale School of Art, Creative Arts Workshop, ACES Educational Center for the Arts and the New Haven Free Public Library… The mural, which artists began working on in August, has been months in the making. Earlier this year, [CITYarts Founder and Executive Director Tsipi] Ben-Haim connected with CAW Director Trina Mace Learned, who hosted an exhibition in the Audubon Street space in June and July. They envisioned the mural with input from high school students, community partners, and artists Mitchell Rembert, Carlos Perez, and Irisol Gonzalez-Vega, currently an MFA candidate at Yale. Lauren Flaaen was also an early collaborator.

The team worked closely with the library, which has supported arts initiatives in Fair Haven for years. Branch Manager Kirk Morrison helped install a CITYarts exhibition featuring work from young people in over 120 countries. At the mural’s ribbon cutting, Morrison encouraged attendees to reflect on the pieces, which envision peace amid global violence.

The mural integrates designs from 10 ACES Educational Center for the Arts (ECA) students, including doves, flowers, vegetables from the library’s garden, and silhouettes of buildings. During this time, Cruz and Sustainable CT launched a fundraising campaign, which raised $4,300 from over 40 donors.

Professor Kymberly Pinder, Yale School of Art’s dean, saw the mural as an opportunity for greater community collaboration. In September, ECA students joined the artists for two days of mural work, and local youth from Fair Haven, including library regulars, also contributed to completing the piece.

[For entire article: https://www.newhavenarts.org/artspaper/articles/a-vision-for-peace-appears-in-fair-haven]