A few of the windows at our Providence Office have been covered up following an act of vandalism. Our friends at The Avenue Concept helped us make the space beautiful again by creating an artful mural titled “Love & Unity”, inspired by the quilts of Gee’s Bend – quilts created by women and their ancestors from the African-American hamlet of Gee’s Bend, Alabama along the Alabama River.
Quilts are often stories of heritage and community. They also symbolize resourcefulness – turning the materials and means available into something beautiful and useful. We are a proud thread of this neighborhood and we are turning what was once an eyesore and a reminder of recent tragic events into a beautiful expression of community and solidarity.
A STATEMENT FROM THE ARTISTS:
Love and Unity is a TAC facilitated mural created by Arthur Cayo and Greg Pennisten for Mott & Chace Sotheby’s International Realty at their Waterplace Park location. This artwork is a collaborative effort between the two artists and an examination of the quilts of Gees Bend.
“Our piece is a personification of the world, a bunch of little pieces making up one big piece [of] different shapes, sizes and colors,” Arthur wrote in reflecting on the piece.
Leaning heavily on Arthur’s improvisational approach to mural painting, he and Greg worked symbiotically to generate the final piece. Stencils were repeated to create patterns cut into irregular geometric shapes reminiscent of a hand stitched quilt made from a random assortment of available scrap fabric. The final result of the collaboration is a vibrant 10′ by 20′ patchwork “quilt” composed of vibrating complementary colors, mixed and matched shapes, patterns and ideas.
“With all of these ideas and elements sewn together, what you are left with is in fact a quilt constructed of Love and Unity,” Greg wrote.
Arthur and Greg are both Providence-based local artists. You can find them online at @artforsociety (Arthur) and @_gregwashere_ (Greg) and The Avenue Concept at @avenuepvd or at www.theavenueconcept.org
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