Embassy Events

Embassy Kicks Off Black History Month Commemoration with Mural Exhibition

Art For The Community

Murals are the heart and soul of the community art movement in the United States.  They celebrate the power of the spirit and they document stories and people that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The murals in this exhibition are a part of the public art movement that grew out of the social and cultural events of the 1960’s and 1970’s.  Black artists in particular used the mural to empower themselves and the community.  Using the walls along underpasses and on the sides of buildings as their canvas, the muralists literally moved art from the inside out, where it was available to anyone and everyone.

African American muralists reclaimed their cultural heritage by conveying their history and stories from a Black perspective.   Using symbols, signs, images and colors that stem from the African American experience to roots in Africa, these artists create work that represents the strength and achievement of the black community.  The murals celebrate heroes, offer hopeful visions, create places of pride, and often function as gathering points for the greater community.

The work in this exhibition offers the viewer the opportunity to engage with stimulating art that provides a window into the experiences and visions of a specific community and also brings to light the values and dreams that we share as a global society.   

Janeil Engelstad
Curator