Artist Pamella Allen helped Taconic Partners and Clarion Partners turn part of their massive Eastchester Heights residential complex in New York City into a canvas for a large mural.
Allen led an art workshop at Eastchester Heights as part of Taconic and Clarion's community action day at the 1,416-unit apartment complex last month in the Bronx.
The two-day event brought together residents, owners and city officials to create imagery, symbols and silhouettes that reflected themselves and their community.
“Collaboration is the key to community,” New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie said at a press conference before the community action day. “We were able to celebrate the creativity and diversity of the 83rd Assembly district with this one-of-a-kind mural that will be here for the next few months. Seeing what can be done when we all come together is what this is all about.”
At the workshop, "participants successfully delivered the painted two-dimensional mural in the form of a mandala, a complex geometric configuration of meaningful symbols," according to a Taconic statement.
“The benefit to bringing arts practice into collaboration with the community cannot be overstated," Allen said in a statement. "It is priceless watching individuals blossom in the wonder of their own creativity and come together to celebrate their unity and diversity by using their creative voice."