Art Walk Curated by Street Art for Mankind Covers Over Mile-long Stretch of Downtown Commercial Building Walls
WHAT: Street Art for Mankind, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Downtown Houston, and the artists will unveil two new murals as part of the Big Art. Bigger Change open-air gallery that includes large art pieces block by block. In October 2022, Street Art for Mankind and partners unveiled the first eight murals in this series. On Friday, two new murals will be added to this walkable downtown art gallery.
The unveiling will begin at the first mural at the parking garage on Travis and Franklin streets, then proceed to the second mural at the Hyatt Regency.
WHO: Thibault and Audrey Decker, Co-Founders of Street Art for Mankind
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee
Artists/Muralists Belin and Ricky Lee Gordon
WHEN: Friday, Dec. 9, 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Travis and Franklin Street Garage | 114 Travis St., Houston, TX 77002 THEN PROCEED BY FOOT (15 min) OR BY VEHICLE TO: Hyatt Regency | 1200 Louisiana St., Houston, TX 77002
VISUALS: Official unveiling of two meaningful murals.
“Public art has the ability to inspire change,” Commissioner Ellis said. “Public art is an incredible medium for celebrating our diverse community and history. On Friday the 9th, we invite the public to see the newest addition to this walkable downtown art gallery.”
The idea for Big Art. Bigger Change was set in motion after Houston was chosen as one of six host cities to take part in the Zero Hunger campaign launched last year by World Food Program USA in partnership with SAM. Founded by Audrey and Thibault Decker in 2016, SAM works with internationally prominent street artists to raise awareness for social and environmental issues, including the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.
“This project, BIG ART. BIGGER CHANGE, will now feature ten large-scale works of art from 10 renowned artists, including three Houstonians,” Commissioner Ellis said. “They address issues like climate change, green energy and innovation, human rights, education for all, and social equity. I’m proud to host them in Precinct One and it is my goal to have a mural for each of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals up as part of this art walk. I’m so proud to partner with Street Art for Mankind, which has been a stellar curator of these incredible artists and artwork.”
Background:
Street Art for Mankind (SAM) is back in Downtown Houston to add two murals to the Big Art. Bigger Change Project inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
1 - Quality Education for All (Sustainable Development Goal 4): Mural by Spanish artist Belin.
The mural is part of the Big Art. Bigger Change. project of Downtown Houston, produced and curated by SAM, and has benefited from the support of TotalEnergies . It is also part of the “Quality Education for All” murals series created by Street Art for Mankind for UNESCO.
This mural features two girls, coming from two different backgrounds, and united over a shared love for learning. It highlights the importance of education as an essential life-building element for all children, regardless of race or socioeconomic circumstance. It establishes a vision for empowering our youth by ensuring all children are afforded and provided an equitable education. \
Action on the ground: The mural production was associated with a UNESCO Campus, while the mural was going up: High school students from Houston schools (Worthing High School, Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy, Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy, and James Madison High School) met with students from Kharkiv in Ukraine and Nairobi in Kenya to discuss access to education with UNESCO experts during a zoom session in November.
Special guest in the app Behind The Wall: UNESCO will share more information about the Houston Campus and the importance of access to education.
Pictures
Photo Credit: @Superkant
Mural Location: 114 Travis street, Houston TX 77002
2 - The Ocean / Our Teacher / Our Healer / Our Life (Sustainable Development Goal 14). Mural by South African Artist Ricky Lee Gordon.
The mural is part of the Big Art. Bigger Change. project of Downtown Houston, produced and curated by SAM.
Houston has successfully sent spacecrafts to the dark side of the moon, yet one of the last unknown frontiers is on our very own planet: more than 80% of the ocean remains unexplored. “THE OCEAN / OUR TEACHER / OUR HEALER / OUR LIFE” is a mural inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 and the UN Decade of Ocean Sciences led by UNESCO to reverse decline in ocean health and catalyze transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development, connecting people and our ocean.
This mural highlights the beauty and the fragility of life below water, bringing together the ocean, majestic whales and humans. It is inspired by photos from photographer and environmentalist Natalie Karpushenko. The choice of the Humpback whale, present in the nearby Gulf of Mexico, is also a vivid reminder of the role of humans as a primary source of mortality for these endangered giants. By 1985, 95% of their population had disappeared due to commercial whaling. Today they still remain threatened by entanglement in fishing gear, boat strikes and pollution.
Special guest in the app Behind The Wall: NASA Oceanographer Bridget Seegers will share more information about life below water and the importance of the ocean ecosystem.
Pictures
Photo Credit: @Superkant
Mural Location: Dallas Street side of the Hyatt Regency, 1200 Louisiana St., Houston, TX 77002
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https://streetartmankind.org/houstonbiggerchange/