Brooklyn artists think big with Mike Perry-led mural project

Introducing sprawling high-rise condominiums to an established neighbourhood rarely goes down well with existing residents, so any effort to make the transition smoother is a good thing in our book. For the developers behind Pacific Park Brooklyn, a gaping 22-acre plot surrounding the Barclays Center that will eventually house two separate residential complexes, this sentiment was the fuel for a collaboration between ten Brooklyn-based artists, to create public murals along its 820 ft construction fence.

Curated by Mike Perry, a multimedia artist based in nearby Crown Heights who’s best known for creating the vibrant graphics of the TV series Broad City, the murals were freshly painted over the weekend by artists Hisham Akira Bharoocha, Morgan Blair, Josh Cochran, Thomas Colligan, Archie Lee Coates, Jennifer Maravillas, Eddie Perrote, Naomi Reis, Edward Ubiera and of course, Perry himself.

Framed against the primary green construction fence, each brightly coloured piece measures 40 ft long and was completed in just one day. From bold pop graphics to more realistic green foliage, each work showcases the different styles of the artists involved, painting a dynamic portrait of Brooklyn.

‘Brooklyn’s artists have inspired legions of followers with their singular, relentless commitment to innovation and creative integrity,’ says Perry, who has also illustrated an intricate map of the locale to accompany the project. ‘This project will inspire and inform artists, art lovers, Brooklyn-philes and pop culture enthusiasts of all stripes.’