Written on the walls

THINGS TO DO Written

on the walls

Anyone taking a self-guided tour of the Whaling City's largest murals and colorful examples of public art should start with the oldest "Dignity," which has graced a wall near the corner of Spring and South Sixth streets since 2001, is centered by a portrait of famed abolitionist (and one-time New Bedford resident) Frederick Douglass. The images around him depict the history of the labor movement and activism in New Bedford from the whaling and textile spinning mills days to the 20th century.

Each face on the mural depicts an actual laborer or a person involved in the labor movement. That's Arnold Dubin himself and the late Massachusetts Teachers Association activist and BCC teacher Margaret Rykebusch pictured in the top left corner. Gloria Clark of New Bedford is proud to note she was one of the volunteers who helped paint in some of the colors in the mural, assisting the main artist, Dan Deveney, a noted Northern Irish mural painter, Conor McGrady, and other volunteers. She noted the mural has been restored professionally twice under the auspices of the UMass Dartmouth Labor Education Center directed by Kim Wilson. "The mural was conceived by a group of union and community activists and leaders to give a beautiful piece of art to the community," Wilson elaborated. "We wanted to stress the many other movements Douglass was connected to. Part of the commitment to our major funder, Mass Humanities, was to ensure that it is preserved. Twice in the past 20 years we have brought a mural restoration specialist here to replace cracking paint, etc. "Murals like this one don't last forever unless you do restoration work," Clark added. "Paint peels on a solid wall like this. Weather cracks it."

The "Dignity" mural featuring Frederick Douglass on South Sixth St., created by Dan Deveney, a noted Northern Irish mural painter, Conor McGrady, and other volunteers.

by Michael J. DeCicco

"Murals like this one don't last forever unless you do restoration work. Paint peels on a solid wall like this. Weather cracks it."

Art explosion

But since the debut of “Dignity” in 2001, public art has only proliferated. The mural honoring the Civil War's famed 54th Regiment, the AfricanAmerican regiment that recruited its soldiers in New Bedford, has covered a wall off of Williams Street on the Freestone's Restaurant building since 2017. The National Park Service commissioned Philadelphia artist Jared Badeer to create an illustration of the regiment's recruiting days in the Whaling City, which took place in a small

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office across the street from the mural's location. Those pictured prominently within it include a young Frederick Douglass, whose son Lewis H. Douglass enlisted and fought in the regiment, and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. William H. Carney who received the honor for his valor at the Battle of Fort Wagner. The mural across from it on the side of Carter's Clothing store on William Street is a postmodernist nod to New Bedford's nationally known 19th century painters, including Albert Bierstadt, Albert Pinkham Ryder, and William Bradford. It was created by the Artworks Teen Mural Project, whose sponsors included the National Endowment for the Arts. Down the street, "The Jazz Wall," a three-story collage of the city's late local Jazz music greats, covers the east wall of the Fiber Optics Center, at 23 Centre Street. Completed in 2020, it was designed by local artist Kat Knusten and was funded by a New Bedford's Wicked Cool Places grant with additional support from the Fiber Optics Center, Whaling City Sound, and the New Bedford Historical Society. It is managed/maintained by the local arts organization Superflat New Bedford. Just up the street from here you’ll find the bright murals on the walls surrounding Wing's Court off of Purchase Street that Superflat also maintains. Facing Purchase Street on a wall near the corner of Elm and Pleasant streets sits the equally large "Postcards from New Bedford:” seven distinct portraits and scenes that portray New Bedford culture and history. Greg Pennisten, a noted sign and mural painter, directed the artistic work of Kailey Barrows, Alex Jardin, Lena McCarthy, and Eden Soares. There is also the street-level mural "Black Lives Matter" on a wall stretching along Union Street from near the corner of Pleasant Street to Purchase Street. Each letter of the words contains a colorful collage of images and quotes related to those sentiments. Local artist and community activist Tanisha Ferrer organized this project and designed some of the letters. A large group of artists and volunteers organized the rest of it, including Hayden-McFadden Elementary School students. The materials were funded with donations from New Bedford Creative and Superflat. Then there's the "Whaling Walls" mural on Maritime Terminal 393 facing Route 18 heading into downtown, commissioned by Mayor Frederick Kalisz Jr. in 2005. Moving south from downtown, "Create os Futuro", a large mural on the wall of the New Bedford Public Housing Authority development Ben Rose Gardens on South First Street, flashes to motorists along Route 18 images of successful residents and

former residents of the complex in a colorful border as an inspiration to the young girl pictured in its center. It was commissioned by the New Bedford Housing Authority and created by Dorchester-based artist Cedric “Visel” Douglas. Not far from there, a wall of the Cape Verdean "Bisca Tournament Club" (a Cape Verdean card game) on Acushnet Avenue in the south end features a mural by David Guadalupe. The young girl pictured in the center is meant to represent the potential and the promise of a young Cape Verdean's future. The lot it faces is where New Bedford's traditional Cape Verdean parade ends its route.

"Somebody just becomes inspired to beautify something. An artist will see a wall or a board as their canvas and create something. It's infectious."

Spontaneous art

None of these pieces of public art, nor others too numerous to mention around New Bedford, have the same origin story, Gloria Clark said. Some are closer to colorful, artistic graffiti. Many are "Pop-Up Murals.”

family equivalent of the Smithsonian and When asked her favorite part of the Book Fair, Examples of the latter include the man treasured forever. Baker-Smith replies, “The fifteen minutes the brushing his teeth, which hides the chilIf hoarding is a mortal sin, I am consigned to the fires of hades for eternity because of my lifetime accumulation of books. These tomes pose a real problem. In some cases I feel that they are my best friends – loyal, entertaining, enlightening and inspiring. I’m really loathe to desert dren get to pick out books before the opening whistle.” (The official start of the Book Fair begins at 11 a.m. but children are allowed into the book tent at 10:45 for exclusive browsing time.) “It’s wonderful to watch children being fascinated by books,” continues Baker-Smith, “going down mechanical and electrical casements near the corner of Elm and Water streets, the Popeye decorating the side of a commercial building on Herman Melville Boulevard next to a trash can labeled spinach (both by New York City my little collections of poetry, of Irish the rabbit hole of a story, and sitting down on the street artist Tom Bob), and the Butterfly grass to read in an age where everyone is looking mural and window decorations on the at screens.” Morency Floors building on Purchase After so many decades, it is understandable Street (commissioned by Morency that many stories surround the Westport Friends Book Fair. It is rumored that, in the early years, one book-browser discovered a first edition of Moby If hoarding is a mortal sin, I am consigned to the itself). Some are painted on panels that are then attached to the wall. Or they are Dick which he bought for fifty-cents. The next year he sheepishly returned to make a donation to the fires of hades for eternity painted directly on the public surface, Clark said. The locations of the larger Westport Friends telling them he sold the book for because of my lifetime ones are usually set by whichever “a lot of money.” The Book Fair is also full of traditions, including accumulation of books property owner grants permission for their placement on their building. They history and literature, the biographies and the novels that I fell in love with in a lifetime. Those law books I have not yet disposed of, will soon hit the road or the dumpster. I also inherited some wonderful sets of old books from my lawyer-uncle who was a collector. I asked one of the family if there was any interest in them and was asked, “What color are they?” Given the fact of e-readers, there’s little enthusiasm among the young for even leather-bound volumes other than for decoration in built-in bookcases. This, I suppose, is progress and as such, is something old men should not seek to enjoin or abash. the honorary “Blowing of the Whistle” to signal the official opening of the book sale. “It is a great honor to be chosen,” says Greg Marsello, citing this as his favorite part of the Fair. For Gretchen Baker-Smith, the annual night-before-book-sale “Chopping of the Tabbouleh” is one of her fondest traditions. The tabbouleh, a type of Lebanese salad, is sold to the public in a flatbread wrap every year on opening day (along with other light luncheon items, beverages and snacks). “It takes a small army of people to chop the salad every year,” says Baker-Smith. “But people have come to expect it.” over the years, many customers have expressed their relief to Baker-Smith, saying “I was so afraid [the tabbouleh] wouldn’t be here.” “Probably my favorite part of the Annual Book Fair,” says Deanna Chase, “is Saturday evening after might be the idea of an organization or a business to cover a plain window or the side of a wall, or they could be the brainchild of an individual artist. All are meant either to reflect on the beauty, ethnic diversity, and rich history of the city – or just make you smile. Prime examples of this public art in the city's North End include the mural featuring internationally known Cape Verdean singer Cesaria Evora (who once performed in New Bedford) on a wall of the Cape Verdean Cultural Center, at Acushnet Avenue and Holly Street. There's the "Book Case" mural at Acushnet Avenue and Coffin Avenue by Ryan McFee, Doug Motta and Todd Woodward, and the Sunflower "Pocket There’s the issue of the old (2001) the huge, long day” (volunteers arrive about 7 a.m. Park" mural painted by Nicholas Porsche 911 convertible that sits in my to help set up) “when we finally have time to justGreaves and Jeffrey Jones near the garage. My willingness to have this driven sit under the tent and reflect back on the day, relax-corner of Coffin Avenue. These are away by a family member is predicated ing with friends.” sponsored and funded by the the city's upon my accelerating belief that I look The Fifty-Fourth Westport Friends’ Book Fair offi-Community Economic Development ridiculous driving it. (I did have a 911 in cially opens at 11 a.m. on July 11, rain or shine. The Center. the past, but then I was age-appropriate sale will continue through Sunday, July 19 and will There's also the three-story for the thing.) More and more I think that be open from “dawn to dusk.” Portuguese Rooster mural on a wall my operation of the car, top down on a glorious summer day, is the third of a trio of ridiculous social gaffes by old men. The first being guys with their gray hair in ponytails and the second, those wearing baseball caps backwards. All three are probably silent cries for help, love, or attention. Here’s the catch: the 911’s a six The six-for-a-dollar paperback books may be purchased starting at 10 a.m. on the opening day and the children’s book section opens exclusively for kids at 10:45 a.m. Book prices range from one dollar to five dollars a book, with the average cost being $1.50. Light lunch, snacks, and beverages will be sold on the opening day of the sale. of "Antonio's Restaurant" off of Coggeshall Street also by New York City street artist Tom Bob. Look closely within this one and you'll see the designs denoting aspects of Portuguese and New Bedford culture: the wine glass, the fishing boat, the lighthouse. speed. It has a third pedal, called a clutch, If you haven’t yet experienced this celebration "Somebody just becomes inspired and is thus inoperable by any of my issue. of books and community, you need to. Bring to beautify something," Clark said. your family to the Westport Friends Book Fair and "An artist will see a wall or a board as start your own summer tradition. you won’t be their canvas and create something. It's disappointed. Cinfectious." ontinued on next page

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