Open forum for new “One World Garden” Mural Project

Join muralist Jared Diaz (they/he, Pratt Munson ’14) at Munson for a discussion about a new mural they will create on Munson’s campus reflecting the theme “One World Garden.”

Diaz will talk about their experience creating public art, the project, and the early stages of their concept for the mural. Attendees of the Feb. 22 and future open forums will be invited to contribute to how the theme is interpreted and participate in design elements.

“With the understanding that Utica represents a vast range of people from diverse and multicultural backgrounds, this project does not aim to create a broad or simplified vision of the community. Instead, this large format mural has room for individual contributions to shine,” Diaz says.

The mural is made possible by Pratt Munson and Rust2Green, a Utica-based community-university partnership focused on placemaking projects. The proposed location of the mural is the “Utica Dance” building at 324 Genesee Street.

About Jared Diaz:

 

Jared Diaz (they/he) is a second-generation Dominican artist, born and based in New York City. Diaz has a visual art practice that has focused on figuration and portraiture for over fifteen years. They earned their BFA from Pratt Institute with highest honors in 2017 and within a year began managing facilities at one of the largest hand-painted billboard companies in America. In their sign-painting career, Diaz contributed to the management and painting execution of more than two thousand large scale murals.

Diaz is the founder of nonprofit Open Air Projects, which promotes cultural equity through mural art. By March of 2021, Diaz launched the Open Air Archive, which aims to preserve history normally located in the niche view of local archives and promote them on the stage of public art. After nine months of planning, community dialogues and execution, the Open Air Archive manifested through the 1,500-square-foot mural-monument, HENRIETTA, located on the corner of 5th Ave. and Muhammad Ali Blvd. in Louisville, KY.

 

Thursday, February 22 at 5:30 p.m.

Munson Museum of Art
Sinnott Family – Bank of Utica Auditorium
310 Genesee Street
Utica, NY 13502

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