The Colors of Queens
CAW Youth Apprentices Unveil the first Murals for Queens County Family Court
Visiting lecturers Andrew Stern, Senior Associate / Project Architect & Design Manager at Gensler, and Lisbeth Jimenez, Senior Project Designer, MKDA, lead CAW YAs in a discussion on how to incorporate the architecture of Queens Family Court into their mural designs.
Creative Art Works’ relationship with NY State Family Court began in 2011 when CAW Youth Apprentices (YAs) created public art for a waiting room in New York County Family Court. This led to three more works of public art for Family Court in Manhattan, then five works of large-scale public art for Bronx County Family Court. This year, CAW was delighted to be invited to create four murals for Queens County Family Court.
Our team of Youth Apprentices (YAs), all from Queens, heard from judges, clerks, and administrators about the important work they do, and met with design professionals to evaluate the opportunities and challenges presented by this unique interior space. They endeavored to respectfully represent the diversity of challenges and joys families experience in court, as well as the diversity of the people and families themselves, to create a dynamic reflection of the Borough of Queens. The result is artwork that we hope uplifts both the families who transit these spaces and those who work there.
The unveiling of the mural was attended by a wide variety of stakeholders, including family and friends of our YAs, CAW administrative staff, and representatives of Queens County Family Court. Honored guests included Court Clerk Specialist Tracey Woods Trudden, Clerk of Court Keisha Kearse, First Deputy Chief Clerk Ruth Whalen, Supervising Judge of Queens Family Court Gilbert Taylor, and Statewide Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives for the Unified Court System Edwina Richardson-Mendelson.
The unveiling was covered by Spectrum Noticias Uno and made the front page of the Queens Daily Eagle.
Supervising Judge of Queens Family Court Gilbert Taylor
“We haven’t left our young people the world they deserve, but those young people are going to bring us the world they deserve. And I’m so proud of the young people who came up with this remarkable artwork. Cornell West said it best, ‘Justice is what love looks like in public.’ And justice is what I see in your artwork, which is love in public.”
“We know that art and culture can be powerful tools in promoting social justice and in creating a more equitable and just society. And through artistic expression, social justice movements can raise awareness, inspire activism, document history, and foster community. People may come here with nothing but court business on their mind but now, because of what you’ve done, they may leave feeling a bit more inspired.”
Statewide Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives for the Unified Court System Edwina Richardson-Mendelson
CAW YAs Alexandra Kikolski, Lesly Deleg, Valerie Vergara, and Nafiyah Rahima present their work to to the assembled audience.
Samuel Zapata, Stephany Chhaan, Mehakpreet Kaur, and Fahad Chowdhury welcome attendees to the unveiling of their artwork.
A Closer Look at the Murals
Through each of the four vibrant panels that comprise "The Colors of Queens," we follow families from day to night as they transform their neighborhood and the larger natural world into an inclusive home for all. Viewers are encouraged to spot familiar faces sprinkled throughout the panels which serves as a reminder that we’re all connected. From the historic Rufus King Park, to the Queensboro Bridge to the very steps leading into the courthouse, “The Colors of Queens” truly shine bright!
A Bird's Eye View
Queens is “The World’s Borough,” so this panel represents Queens as one giant park where all the people of the world come together to live their lives in harmony. A family of birds looks down upon families playing and picnicking around the Rufus King Manor Museum. (The birds make an appearance in another panel as well.) Food trucks represent the fact that Queens has the best food in the world. The Unisphere, possibly the best-known Queens landmark, is visible in the distance. A rainbow represents the multifaceted diversity of Queens.
Unisphere
Seen on the horizon in the previous panel, the Unisphere takes center stage in this one. The Unisphere was originally constructed to embody the theme of the 1964 New York World's Fair, which was "Peace Through Understanding.” In that spirit, the Youth Apprentices wanted to show diversity and community using a multitude of people from different ethnicities, races, genders, and religions. The four murals each represent Queens at different times during a single day – morning, noon, afternoon, and night.
Celebration
While the feeling of this mural is unmistakably joyful, the artists intentionally left the action open to interpretation. The people in the painting might be celebrating an adoption or a reunification. The use of bright colors, especially at the foreground, is intended to underscore the joy that this community feels when experiencing a happy moment at the courthouse. The birds depicted in the first mural appear again in this one, hidden in the trees looking at this courthouse celebration.
Light in the Darkness
The final mural in the series celebrates the inclusive ethos of Queens County Family Court. A blended family is depicted joyfully holding hands with their newly adopted child. They are the light shining bright at the end of the day. Their faces and posture radiate love and unity. Behind them, fireworks illuminate the city skyline, the iconic Queensboro Bridge, and a bustling halal food truck. The mural seamlessly blends the multiculturalism of Queens together with the power of love and acceptance.
Enjoy a Behind-the-Scenes Look on Vimeo
Painting a mural at a high-profile location can be daunting but these Youth Apprentices made it look like a lot of fun.
Read bios by all the Youth Apprentices in the commemorative brochure on ISSUU.
Our People
Queens County Family Court Team
Amrita Singh, Teaching Artist
Becky Schuman, Teaching Artist
Ryan Davis, Teaching Artist
Donna Manganello, Program Manager
Ivory Nunez-Medrano, Program Manager | Teaching and Learning
Alejandra Mandelblum, Visiting Teaching Artist
Collen Kong-Savage, Visiting Teaching Artist
Dani Coca, Visiting Teaching Artist
Lisbeth Jimenez, MKDA, Visiting Professional
Andrew Stern, Gensler, Visiting Professional
Staff
Karen Jolicoeur, Executive Director
Ellen Seltzer, Director of Finance and Administration
Ivory Nunez-Medrano, Program Manager | Teaching and Learning
Donna Manganello, Program Manager
Riki Sabel, Program Manager
Madeline De Leon, Program Associate
Clair Vogel, Development Manager
Scott Lucas, Marketing & Communications Manager
Jill Goldstein, Office Manager
Board of Directors
Brian Ricklin, President
Andrew D. Levin, Chairman
Steven Soutendijk, Treasurer
Julia Sanabria, Secretary
Mosely Chaszar
Neil Goldmacher
Gail Holcomb
Cary Levy
Angela Pennyfeather
Andrew Stern
Tiffany Theriault
Janet Woods
Our Thanks...
Creative Art Works’ Public Art Youth Employment program receives support from the Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation, the Leroy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, the Find Your Light Foundation, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President.
