BMORE BIRDS – a York Road Mural Initiative

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Riley's Beauty Salon Mural

As part of Baltimore’s 1% for Public Art Program, BOPA is working with the York Road Partnership and the Govanstowne Business Association to create a mural series depicting native birds along the York Road corridor between 43rd Street and Glenwood Avenue. Artist Iandry Randriamandoso, a former MICA Community Arts student, chose local birds as the subjects for the series because of their universality, inclusiveness, and connection to the local environment.

“Birds play an important role in maintaining balances in our ecosystem and add enjoyments to our lives with their beauty—both in plumage colors and distinct songs. In ever changing urban landscapes, they represent adaptation, resilience and the continuation of life. When Changes occur in a neighborhood, it will change the dynamic make-up of the population—new inhabitants come; some leave; some stay and adapt with the new changes. Eventually, they represent us and our neighbors.”
–Iandry Randriamandroso

Three murals have been completed to date–keep your eyes out for more.

Academy Cleaners Mural Progress
Academy Cleaners Mural

 

A Love Letter for us

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Forever Together / I Am Here Because Its Home by Stephen Powers

Forever Together / I Am Here Because Its Home by Stephen Powers

The first time I met Steve Powers, he climbed out of the big white BOPA family van sporting a yellow raincoat and a Guided by Voices T shirt. The world-renowned Philly-born graff-writer-turned-Fulbright-scholar was in town for a marathon of cross-city site visits and community meetings for our upcoming Love Letter to Baltimore project this fall. (Haven’t heard much about it yet? That’s because we’re still planning it!) When Housing offered up the wall space for what Steve called a “temporary forever” mural, he tacked that onto his trip.

I showed him the lift and pointed out the wall at 2454 E. Eager Street—the corner house in a row of city-owned vacants slated to be demolished later this summer.

He quickly walked passed it and all the way down Eager Street. The yellow raincoat floating behind him made him look like a mad scientist.

When he came back he asked if they were all vacant. I said they were, that we had just planned on the wall at 2454, but we could ask about the rest.

Less than 24 hours later we were signing a right of entry agreement for 35 properties; Steve ordered 10 gallons of “Ravens Purple” and a power generator for his paint sprayer and got to work. Not on painting, but on talking to the people who live next door—on Montford, on Eager, on Port—about what they love and what they hate about their city.

So began the first line of Steve ESPO Powers’s Love Letter to Baltimore: FOREVER TOGETHER / I AM HERE BECAUSE ITS HOME.

Can’t wait for the rest.

Prepping the wall for "I Am Here Because Its Home"

Prepping the wall for “I Am Here Because Its Home”

Sketching out the V in "Forever"

Sketching out the V in “Forever”

Forever Together / I Am Here Because Its Home by Stephen Powers

“Temporary is permanent and together can be forever” – Steve Powers on his temporary mural which spans from 2402-2454 E. Eager St.