Taking in the murals in Rensselaer's Riverfront Park
We had a few spare minutes in Rensselaer recently and happily spent them taking in the many, many murals painted on the Dunn Memorial Bridge overpass supports that stand in Riverfront Park.
Here are a few pics...
Pics
They're at the top in large format -- click or scroll all the way up. It's just a small sampling of the many murals.
Background
The initial group of works dates back to mid-90s and the efforts of a group called the Rensselaer Artists' Movement Society. From a June 18, 1995 Daily Gazette article:
"It really is a way to take what could be considered a blight, an intrusion into the community -- these structures -- and make them productive and beautiful," said Jeanne Casatelli, a spokeswoman for the society, which was founded in December.
Casatelli said the project was born last year, when local antique dealer Gloria Fonda urged city officials to bring in Jackie Brickman, a local professional artist, to beautify Riverfront Park.
The mural population there grew in 2011 with additions as part of the Living Walls project.
The subjects of the murals span wide range, from the fanciful, to the mystical, to the historical, to the natural. Some of the works are starting to show their age, but the weathering adds a different dimension.
It's worth stopping by some time to check them out.
Find It
Murals in Rensselaer Riverfront Park
Broadway
Rensselaer, NY 12144
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Comments
I'm glad to see that these works are being publicly recognized. Recently, at least two of the panels have been reworked into new paintings, for instance the soldiers raising the flag. Across the ramp from that is a new painting of what looks like Revolutionary drum corps figures.
... said magster on Jul 18, 2017 at 1:33 PM | link
The park was originally concieved in 1995 by Jacquelyn Brickman as a way to combat grafitti. She organized the 126 murals during the first run, taking on many of them herself. She was recognized by Bill Clinton in 1996 for her original idea of an open air art park.
In 2011 the park went through a refurbishng as part of Living Walls:Albany a satellite of the original in Atlanta which still runs today.
... said Samson Contompasis on Jul 18, 2017 at 10:09 PM | link
The two new murals were refurbished by Jacquelyn Brickman, Alex Stokes, and Myself (Samson Contompasis). An effort by the city of Rensellaer to update and refresh the park. More information to come soon.
... said Samson Contompasis on Jul 18, 2017 at 10:10 PM | link
When our kids were little and in day care in Albany, we would come over the Dunn every day and have the choice of driving straight up 9/20 or rounding the ramp under the bridge -- which we called going the "Painting Park Way." That was the way they usually chose, they loved seeing the art there even if just from the car. We loved the new "This Is Happening" addition a few years back ... it was a shame it was immediately sullied by Hurricane Irene.
... said Carl on Jul 20, 2017 at 7:22 AM | link