Arts on the Block Mosaics in Historic Anacostia

One of the Historic Anacostia Block Association meetings we attended some time ago to share updates on the Historic Properties Redevelopment Program properties also featured a presentation from local nonprofit Arts on the Block. They were sharing plans for mosaic murals to be installed along the side of the new Chase Bank at 2200 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the former location of the old Bury's Drugstore.

Driving by recently, we felt compelled to share these beautiful, vibrant pieces with you all (although in person is necessary to really do them justice!). We are so happy to see public art projects like these that unite and inspire the Anacostia community and beyond.

Lead Artist for Arts on the Block
Jada Batts

The Color of Community

For this piece I wanted to mix up some Anacostia history with its culture. Anacostia has so many shades of people of color. I used the hands to represent different types of people. The keyboard stripes are inspired by the recognizable historic piece in Anacostia called the Big Chair. The vertical stripes on the top of the Big Chair inspired the colorful keyboard pattern here.

Materials
Vitreous and fusion glass on cement board
30" x 58", 82" x 52"

Lead Artist for Arts on the Block
Shantisa Brooks

Uplifting

In this piece I felt it should show community and compassion. I wanted to portray a community member helping their neighbor, showing how sympathy and kindness can prevail. So even outside of our communities we can share this hope, that lending a helping hand can make a difference.

Materials
Vitreous and fusion glass on cement board
30" x 58", 82" x 52"

Lead Artist for Arts on the Block
Shantisa Brooks

Unity in Color

This piece conveys a message about thinking in a different perspective to help encourage the community to not think monochromatic but instead to think in color. I wanted a sense of unity and vigor to be conveyed to demonstrate that even in turbulent times, differences do not matter. A community can always band together to make a colorful creation. Just like the vibrant world around us, our community is established by residents who come in a variety of shades and hues.

Materials
Vitreous and fusion glass on cement board
30" x 58", 82" x 52"

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Your financial support is an important piece of making the Historic Properties Redevelopment Program projects successful.

Please consider making a contribution today!

Special thanks to The 1772 Foundation whose ongoing support of the Historic Properties Redevelopment Program continues to make these rehabilitation projects possible.

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