Photos by Dean Moses
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ever, the orange elements blend seamlessly
with the existing features of our
building,” said Valledor.
The painting portrays Newtown
Creek with its native bird, a giant heron
backlit by an engulfing auburn sunset.
The mural also blends a pluming chimneystack,
symbolizing the struggle of
nature alongside the pollution of human
industry.
Additionally, the materials used to craft
this project were repurposed and recycled,
and the paint itself absorbs carbon
emissions, really driving home the call
for action to be taken against climate
change.
Councilman Donovan Richards
echoed this feeling by gesturing to
the mural and stating, “To the climate
change deniers, this is our message
to you.” Before continuing, the
Queens borough president frontrunner
made another gesture, this time
toward the middle-school students
watching the proceedings from Hunter’s
Point South Park.
“We need to move to a 100 percent
renewable energy; we can only do that
with you. My generation messed up,”
Richards said.
Representatives such as Councilman
Jimmy Van Bramer and Congresswoman
Carolyn Maloney were also in attendance,
as well as the Principal of Hunters
Point Community Middle School Sarah
Goodman and Lisa Bloodgood, director
of advocacy and education for the Newtown
Creek Alliance.
The mural’s creator, Federico Massa,
radiated with pride as he addressed
the group of students and dignitaries
dressed in a paint-splattered jacket and
jeans with every dried speck a testament
to the work he had put in to the previous
10 days. It is this commitment to his art
and passion for environmental conservation
Massa sought to share with onlookers
that afternoon.
“I feel so proud to be a part of this
project and to be the artist selected
to use my voice to highlight issues in
our society. We want to show that we
can do better, and we must do better
to protect our environment. We can do
it,” Massa said.
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