For 49 of the 50 years Roxbury Community College has existed, the walkway between buildings three and four was just a wall; now, thanks to a dozen local artists led by muralist Roberto Chao, it is an 85-foot work of art.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn Ode to Africa in the Americas,\u201d a 17-panel mural, was unveiled on Nov. 3 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of RCC. Mayor Michele Wu attended the ceremony, honoring Chao by proclaiming Nov. 3 \u201cRoberto Chao\u201d day.<\/p>\n
The mural captures \u201cthe multifaceted journey of Africa\u2019s legacy in the Americas,\u201d according to an RCC release. Over two years and 2,000 hours of volunteer work went into the painting.<\/p>\n
The artwork was realized thanks to $20,000 from RCC, paint donations from the Jamaica Plains Sherwin-Williams, fabric donations from New England Business Supply, and composite panel donations from J Freeman Inc. in Dorchester, according to the release.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn Ode to Africa in the Americas\u201d subject matters to RCC\u2019s student population, which is 78% African American, RCC\u2019s Interim President Jackie Jenkins-Scott said. In a time where there is no shortage of problems and trauma in the world, Jenkins-Scott said she hopes the mural will make people feel good.<\/p>\n
\u201cCulture is such an important part of Roxbury, an important part of the history of the people who come to this college,\u201d Jenkins-Scott said. \u201cI think having a mural is just an extension of the mission and the values that we hope this college displays every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chao, a community artist who has led mural projects throughout Massachusetts for decades, is an alumni of RCC, Jenkins-Scott said. While Chao oversaw \u201cAn Ode to Africa in the Americas,\u201d the Black and brown artists largely responsible for painting the mural range from art veterans like L\u2019Merchie Frazier to current students.<\/p>\n
Frazier, the executive director of creative\/strategic planning for SPOKE Arts, utilizes \u201cthe tool of art to have discussion,\u201d she said. A QR code located beside the mural connects visitors to information about the art\u2019s symbolism and historical context.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is an experience of the Black Atlantic world as we manifest here,\u201d Frazier said. \u201cIt is a reflection of the body of students that are at RCC, that have been relocated to this place, or have grown up here, or by the process of immigration have become a part of our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Frazier said the group conducted research and used new technology, such as one group member who would sketch designs on their iPad, to decide what aspects of culture were important to emphasize.<\/p>\n
The mural features mud, adire, indigo, and aso oke cloth, as well as Guatemalan textiles.<\/p>\n
\u201cI count it a joy to have met the fellow artists, whether they were artists with expertise or people who became artists as the process was going on,\u201d Frazier said.<\/p>\n
Tamyya Wright, a second-year student at RCC, was a self-taught artist before starting at the college as an art major in 2022, she said. Though the group of artists was large, Wright said she felt she had room to have her own twist on the panel she painted. She said each panel of the mural tells its own story.<\/p>\n
\u201cEach had a different representation of the African community,\u201d Wright said. \u201cIt also represented every and anybody that saw it. They\u2019ll find some take away. They\u2019ll believe, \u2018Oh, this can represent me.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“An Ode to Africa in the Americas” was unveiled to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roxbury Community College on Nov. 3.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12963,"featured_media":36204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,12],"tags":[7,30,14],"class_list":{"0":"post-36207","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-culture","8":"category-entertainment","9":"tag-apie-project","10":"tag-culture","11":"tag-entertainment"},"yoast_head":"\n