In November, 2019 eight large scale #NRNY Murals made their debut around downtown New Rochelle. Created by an international group of street artists curated by Street Art for Mankind, the #NRNY Murals –- with support from the New Rochelle IDA and the New Rochelle Council on the Arts (NRCA) -– made a statement about New Rochelle as a diverse city where art plays a pivotal role. The #NRNY Murals drew some of the nation's leading photographers (including Martha Cooper) to New Rochelle and received media coverage around the world. 

Now the New Rochelle IDA, the NRCA and curators Street Art for Mankind  -- a Westchester-based global non-profit organization working with prominent street artists to create large murals all around the world --  are working on a new set of murals that is beginning to take shape around town. Once again an international group of world class artists will be creating high impact art, with the goal of putting New Rochelle on the map as the American city with one of the largest curated collections of murals. 

On Sunday, May 1st the entire community is invited to a free Art Walk (a guided tour of the new murals led by Street Art for Mankind, with the artists on site to talk about their work) from 11 am to 1 pm, starting at the Radisson Plaza.

The Art Walk will be followed by an afternoon of free music, dance and theater performances. The NRCA was awarded a ReStart the Arts grants from ArtsWestchester to create a celebration around the murals completion: MuralFest: Celebrating Art On and Off the Walls* will take place at Library Green, the New Rochelle Public Library and New Ro Parc from 1 to 5 pm. For complete details visit the NRCA website at www.newrochellearts.org and follow NRCA on social media (on Facebook @newrochellearts.org and on Instagram @newrochellecouncilonthearts ). 

“We are excited about the new murals, and so grateful for the leadership of the IDA, which provided significant funding and is in full support of this significant contribution to New Rochelle’s artistic flavor,” said Theresa Kump Leghorn, President of the NRCA. 

The murals are curated and produced by Street Art for Mankind (SAM), a Westchester-based global non-profit organization working with prominent street artists to create large murals all around the world. SAM is recognized for its mural series with the United Nations, but also for its Art Walk Murals with Cities to bond communities together.

Background on SAM:

Street Art for Mankind (SAM) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization working with prominent street artists to create large murals all around the world. Its goal is to raise awareness on social justice and environmental issues, and to give the public the means to become actors of change. SAM is recognized for its mural series with the United Nations, the Department of State, but also for its Art Walk Murals with Cities across the world to bond communities together, create a sense of belonging and increase foot traffic. Learn more at StreetArtMankind.org.

About the New Rochelle IDA

The NRNY collection of this year’s murals are sponsored by the New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency, the public entity whose mission is to provide financial assistance through tax incentives to eligible projects in order to promote economic vitality and prosperity as well as recreational opportunities for the entire New Rochelle community. Commenced six years ago, the City’s bold redevelopment initiative – spearheaded by the Department of Development in conjunction with the New Rochelle IDA – has already helped attract $2.2 billion in private investment that has approved 9.2 million square feet of space downtown. The sweeping re-envisioning of the downtown area has also generated 3,600 new units of mixed-income housing, new jobs for local residents, and large numbers of contracting opportunities for area businesses and enhanced arts and cultural programming.

About the New Rochelle Council on the Arts:

The New Rochelle Council on the Arts (NRCA) was created in 1975 by the New Rochelle City Council to stimulate and encourage the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts; in 2005 NRCA became a 501 (C) (3) organization. For more than 47 years NRCA has worked to fulfill its mission by sponsoring art exhibitions, public art, theatrical productions, dance recitals, film screenings, lectures, and concert series. NRCA programs are made possible by support from the City of New Rochelle and ArtsWestchester, as well grants from foundations and individuals, sponsorships from local businesses and donations from NRCA members and the public.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Carlos Alberto

Carlos Alberto GH is a Mexican street artist, originally from Guadalajara, whose brightly colored, large scale work is distinguished by 3D effects.  Trained as an art conservator, Alberto spent time working on restoring murals in the Mayan Peninsula in Mexico before he decided to “pause his career” and try his hand at creating his own. Carlos has created murals in his native Mexico, the United States and across Europe, transforming urban areas with his lush, tropical themed works. Instagram:  @carlosalberto_gh     (17.7K followers)

 Belin

Spanish artist Miguel Ángel Belinchón Bujes, known as Belin, is known in the graffiti world for his photorealistic murals. The work of Pablo Picasso inspired him to incorporate elements of cubism in his work, resulting in a style he has dubbed postneocubismo. Working in spray techniques without stencils Belin’s murals play with proportion and hyper realistic drawing. Instagram:  @belin.es    (170K followers)

 Cristian Blanxer

Cristian Blanxer is a Spanish street artist from Barcelona with a degree in Fine Arts. His “multi-story” surrealistic portraits feature spontaneous brushstrokes and intense color. Cristian’s iconic work is featured in galleries and on walls around the world.  Instagram:  @cristianblanxer   (26.7 K followers)

 Adry Del Rocio

Adry del Rocio is a Mexican street artist, originally from Guadalajara, and one of the most recognized 3D urban artists in the world. She began her career as a painter after winning a children’s art competition at the age of 4, and since then Adry has won  local,  national, and international awards, including the title of “Maestra Madonnara” in Italy in 2014. Adry’s work has been seen in art shows and in festivals around the world, including the United States, Canada, Colombia, Brazil, Italy, France, England, and her home country, Mexico. Instagram:  @adrydelrocio      (29.5K followers)

 Dragon76

Dragon76 is a Japanese street artist who lives in New York. Dragon76 creates spectacular murals with a manga-influenced style, and his lively creations can be seen on walls and in galleries around the United States and in Asia. Dragon76 regularly participates in festivals -- including the well-known POW! WOW! art festival in Japan – and competitions like Art Battle: He is a three-time winner of Art Battle NY and was the U.S. champion in 2018. Instagram: @dragon76art    (39.6 K followers)

 Loic Ercolessi

Loic Ercolessi is a French street artist based in Miami with a distinctive Neo Pop Art style. His inspiring portraits can be seen in galleries and art fairs all around the United States from New York to Miami, including New Rochelle, where he created a mural featuring Alicia Keys and Don McLean in 2019 .  Instagram:  @loicercolessi 

 Vinie Graffiti

Vinie is a French street artist, originally from Toulouse. Vinie started painting graffiti in high school with the “AH Crew” in Toulouse, focused on lettering. After moving to Paris in 2007 Vinie started exhibiting a now iconic feminine character with a distinctive hairstyle – made of tags, flops and dedications.  At ease working on walls and on canvas, Vinie’s works were featured in a 2014 book “Des couleurs plein la tête” from Critères Editions.  Instagram: @viniegraffiti    (99.7K followers)

Louis Masai

Louis Masai grew up living above his parents’ restaurant: When his father wasn’t in the kitchen his passion for painting took over, and Louis often joined him in his studio. After studying in Falmouth, Cornwall Louis moved to London in 2010, painting in the studio as well as creating murals in the public domain. His subject matter focuses on animals and endangered species but always with a human reference Instagram: @louismasai   (25.7 K follwoers)

 TelmoMiel

The Dutch artistic duo TelmoMiel (Telmo Pieper and Miel Krutzmann) is famous for making impressive murals and paintings characterized by hyper-realistic as well as abstract elements. The duo met at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam where they studied from 2006 to 2010. They began working as TelmoMiel in 2012, their work reflecting their different styles and a mix of techniques. In addition to painting monumental murals, TelmoMiel paints with oils on smaller canvas; their studio and store Sober Collective, created in 2012, is located in Rotterdam.

The duo has painted stunning murals in the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, England, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Lithuania, Malta, Argentina, USA, Lebanon, Dubai, Kazakhstan and Australia.  Instagram: @telmomiel    (75.8K followers)

 Vesod

Vesod is an Italian street artist, originally from Turin. Vesod earned a degree is math, and his fascination with geometric abstraction is obvious in his work -- as is the influence of the Renaissance masters and Italian futurism. Working in a variety of media – oil, acrylic, spray paint --   Vesod has created pieces that can be seen in galleries and on walls all around the world. Instagram: @vesod     (20.5K followers)

 *This project is made possible with funds from the ReStart the Arts, a regrant program of ArtsWestchester with support from the Office of the Governor, the New York State Legislature and the New York State Council on the Arts.