A public art project continues to engage viewers worldwide with a social justice message.
Houston hosted the latest street mural exhibition organised by Street Art for Mankind, a non-profit organisation in New York that has helped 80 international artists create human rights-themed murals and display them on busy pedestrian walkways in major cities.
The goal is to capture attention and trigger action. Community leaders in Houston chose green energy, climate change, social equity and education as themes for the current exhibit called “Big Art. Bigger Change.”
Ten artists from the United States and other nations completed nine city murals, which cover more than 1.5 kilometres. Street Art for Mankind partners with city officials and non-profit agencies such as World Food Program USA when planning an exhibition.
Audrey and Thibault Decker, who co-founded the organization in 2015, look for busy pedestrian walkways in major cities to showcase the art. They emphasize that art can be a vehicle for social change because of its power to draw a viewer’s attention and trigger critical thinking about pressing issues.
Thibault said: “Art is a universal language that speaks to every generation in every instance, so we wanted to use it in a positive way.” For previous exhibitions, the Deckers worked with the United Nations to highlight themes from U.N. sustainable development goals.
“We believe in art for social change,” he continued. “We believe that art in general has the power to touch minds, souls and create a conversation.” Previous exhibitions addressed child labor, gender equality, human trafficking, and world hunger.
