As you walk along Washington Street, you might notice that the view has quickly transformed to become much more colorful. Wondering why? Earlier this past summer, the Hoboken Arts Advisory Committee launched the beginning of a new Art Box Mural Project, which is allowing local artists to decorate 15 utility boxes spanning all the way down the hub of Hoboken.
Founded only a year ago, the Hoboken Arts Advisory Committee is a coalition of local citizens passionate towards creating innovative and appealing public art within the City of Hoboken. The committee serves as an advisory board to Mayor Ravi Bhalla and is supported by a small portion of city bond ordinances.
The Art Box Mural Project has created opportunities for numerous artists to contribute in painting the utility boxes along Washington Street. Through their creative juxtaposition of artistically decorating a traditionally mundane object, the committee aims to visually enhance Hoboken while also portraying the sentiments of the project theme, which are equality and inclusion.
According to the committee, “equity is fair mindedness and egalitarianism, decency and balance. Inclusion encompasses all, leaving no one or group marginalized or on the fringe.” Their chosen project theme reflects core values that they explain can found all throughout the City of Hoboken: recognizing the inherent value of all people, without leaving any person or group feeling excluded. Through this theme, the committee hopes to perpetuate the sense of belonging natively found amongst inclusive communities.
Announced on July 16 of this year, the mural initiative is already well underway. In early September, the artists who submitted conceptual works were chosen and provided with a stipend of $1,250 to bring their vision to life. November 2 will mark the last day for artists to work on their individual projects; four days later on November 6, the boxes will be unveiled to the general public.
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