For the past three years, Union Square Partnership has been transforming 14th street into a beautiful street mural each spring and this year is no different! From Monday, May 13 to Friday, May 17th, volunteers gathered to help paint the massive street mural spanning 7,500-square-feet between Broadway and University Place.
Queens-based artist, Talisa Almonte, was the selected winner out of the 27 mural submissions for this year’s design titled “Flowing Together.” Through a palette of colors inspired by nature, Latin culture, TV and film, its abstract nature represents the freely moving crowds in Union Square.
It “pays homage to Union Square’s rich history, local context, and diversity of experience, while utilizing public space to create a shared experience within the community. This unique canvas presents an opportunity to infuse beautiful, original artwork into a bustling urban environment, renowned for its social vibrancy, recreational space, and commercial activity,” shared the preliminary press release.
On the southern tip of the mural, the funky shapes and distinctive colors, ranging from Sherwin-Williams Nifty Turquoise to Gusto Gold, symbolize the demographic of Union Square’s ever-changing flow of people. Whereas, in the northern portion of “Flowing Together,” onlookers will spot the same shapes from the southern tip now blending into a spiral to represent the togetherness of people when it comes to a specific cause.
“USP’s annual 14th Street mural program aims to beautify the streetscape and envisions eventually expanding pedestrian space in the neighborhood, as outlined in the USQNext Vision Plan,” informs the preliminary press release. “The murals draw inspiration from the site’s history and vision for its future and will be seen by thousands of workers, residents, and visitors who travel through the neighborhood daily.”
With support from Street Plans, “Flowing Together” will be presented in partnership with the NYC DOT Art Program. New Yorkers can admire the finished street mural Friday, May 17th and onward.