Bertelsmann Funds Used to Support Mural Arts Project

at High School for Environmental Studies.

By Donna Schnupp & Shana Eads

“We decided to create the mural because of a request by the Holiday Inn to address an ongoing problem of graffiti on the empty wall behind their building, facing our school,” explained Joan Pamperin, an art teacher at High School for Environmental Studies (HSES) who helped coordinate the creation of a landscape mural of the Hudson River across the street from her school. Responding to complaints and criticism from the neighboring HSES community at 56^th Street and 9^th Avenue, students and teachers rallied to create a mural that communicates the theme of the environmentally conscious high school.

Some members of the 56^th Street Block Association, including local artist John Connors, approached the school about putting a mural on the wall across from the school.  Since the wall served as the back of the Holiday Inn, school officials approached the hotel to obtain permission to construct a mural. Management at the hotel was overwhelmingly supportive and very enthusiastic about the proposed project. Art teachers and students at the school got excited about the possibility, allowing the project to come to fruition. Students and teachers completed about 80percent of the mural, while members of the community offered their assistance with the remainder.

With the environmental focus of the school, and the school’s view of the river from the upper floors, students and teachers decided on a theme of the Hudson River --- from its source in the Adirondacks to the mouth at NY harbor --- and all the wildlife in between.

Led by John Connors who has a background in Asian painting, the mural is broken up in to three panels, each around 50 feet. This design made the mural more manageable with the river as the common theme flowing throughout all three panels.  “The mural may be interpreted in several ways,” explained Joanne Pamperin,. While one interpretation could be “A historical timeline of change from the time of the Native Americans to modern day,” another is, “A snapshot of the State of New York along the Hudson Valley.” Ms. Pamperin offers a final interpretation, one that is highly relevant to all who pass it by -- “An expression of peace in New York, and a subtle memorial to the tragedy of 9/11.”

On behalf of her school, Ms. Pamerin thanks the Bertelsmann Foundation for funding the project and adds, “The mural adds lovely color to the street. The kids like it, and sometimes stand beneath the ‘trees.’ It is a soothing piece.”