Must-See Public Art: Mamaroneck
Local nonprofit Street Art for Mankind (SAM) produces public art in service of promoting social change by collaborating with street artists on dramatic multi-story murals. A collection of these murals were recently unveiled in Mamaroneck. All within walking distance apart, they collectively celebrate the history of, and promote the values of, this town.
The organization’s projects “emphasize the DNA of a community,” explains SAM Co-Founder Thibault Decker: “Through the universal language of art, we start a conversation encouraging people to walk the streets and rediscover their village.”
One work by international street artist Loic Ercolessi depicts the town’s iconic Skinny House. The vivid purple mural portrays the historic 10-foot-wide home of carpenter Nathan Thomas Seely, and the neighbor who gave him the property on which to build. The photo-realistic mural, located across from the Mamaroneck train station at 135 Hoyt Avenue, captures the spirit of community between neighbors.
A light blue tableau situated behind Mamaroneck Avenue on Phillips Park Road depicts portraits of actors Lily Gish, Ethel Barrymore and Matt Dillon – the Mamaroneck natives, generations apart, all went on to successful careers in film. The colorful style, which its London-based artist Mr. Cenz dubbed “futuristic space funk,” presents a dreamy, Rushmore-esque scene to passersby.
Mamaroneck is home to five Street Art for Mankind murals located on Mamaroneck Avenue, Phillips Park Road and Hoyt Avenue.
A version of this article first appeared in the July-August issue of ArtsNews, ArtsWestchester’s monthly publication. ArtsNews is distributed throughout Westchester County. A digital copy is also available at artsw.org/artsnews.
About ArtsWestchester
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest private not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue. artsw.org
