While visiting Eckington, I found myself along the Metropolitan Branch Trail (MBT) that runs parallel to the railway tracks on the west side of Eckington. Many people passed me on foot, couples holding hands or families pushing strollers, while others were biking alone or in groups. It was a nice day outside, so as expected, this well-groomed route was very active.
Down towards the south end of the path, a large stretch of wall art murals runs as far as the eye can see. Beautiful colorful paintings enhance the otherwise average trail. I came upon a young painter, streetname KimChi, who was engaged with one of her murals and five buckets of fresh paint sitting on the grass. While diligently placing the final strokes on a rainbow unicorn, her mom explained how her 17 year old daughter acquired this section of wall to decorate. Apparently, painters can apply and be selected for 122 ft sections to splash with their visions along this wall. Sometimes, unfortunately, their works of art are "tagged" by unsanctioned graffiti which they then have to come fix from time-to-time. Sidenote: I mistakenly thought being "tagged" was a good thing as if someone was tagging her artwork on Facebook. I asked if the rumbling of train cars above ever affects their focus. Much to my surprise, they commented that falling dead birds are the most common deterrent which raised my eyebrows. The hardships of an artist are even more perilous than I thought! As I spanned the length of KimChi's wall, I admired the Asian influence in her art. A panda bear and fox joined the unicorn amidst floating pink flowers and other pleasant shapes. 122 feet of wall art took her three full days to paint - amazing! I was so engulfed in the amazing beauty of the wall murals that I didn't immediately notice the incredible four story mural called "28 blocks" on the building behind me. A towering tribute to honor workers who built the Lincoln Memorial. Without a doubt, art is a soulful conduit for expression in the Eckington neighborhood.
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Mark
9/17/2017 08:02:28 pm
Arun,
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Arun DotsonThis is my research of the Eckington neighborhood. Categories
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