The Blue Bus Project Mobile Art Gallery will unveil a mural at Fifth Street between 46th Avenue and 46th Road in Long Island City on Wednesday, June 15. The artwork represents bridging the gap between the Hunters Point and Queensbridge communities.
“Bridging Communities” celebrates the many cultures represented in the two Long Island City neighborhoods. Artist and muralist Carla Torres, alongside Annalisa Iadicicco, creative director and founder of the Blue Bus Project, said the concept for the piece was developed with community input.
According to the Blue Bus Project, the goal is to unite the two neighborhoods by providing a platform to exchange and discuss ideas centered around the mural.
“The purpose of recruiting participants from two distinctly different LIC communities is to facilitate crossing geographic boundaries to exchange ideas, foster a cultural bridge and promote unity,” Iadicicco said.
The Blue Bus Project is a New York City nonprofit bringing participatory art events to underserved communities.
Queens is one of the most diverse counties in the U.S. with over 50% of households in the borough speaking a non-English language. Queensbridge Housing is the largest housing project in the country, containing 96 buildings and 3,147 apartments with approximately 7,000 residents. Just blocks away sits Hunters Point — one of the most sought-after neighborhoods to live in New York City.
“The dialogue increased awareness of cultural differences and similarities that exist within the community and were translated by the muralists into a design incorporating the icons, symbols and colors significant to both cultures,” said a statement from the Blue Bus Project.
After completing the mural with a community painting activity, the piece will be installed at Jacob A. Riis Settlement in Queensbridge after the unveiling in Hunters Point.
The mural was funded in part by the Queens Council on the Arts, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the City Council with additional support from the Citizens Committee for New York City.
