CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Artist Sasha Primo, pictured, poses in front of a mural he completed in Buenos Aires, the capital city in his home country of Argentina. He has been commissioned to paint four new neighborhood murals in Marshalltown, with work set to begin this month.
Art has a way of bringing people together. That’s why the Marshall County Arts and Culture Alliance has launched a community-building mural project aimed at honoring Marshalltown’s rich cultural diversity and resilience through a tornado, derecho and pandemic.
“After an international call for artists was issued, Sasha Primo of Argentina was selected as the finalist for his expertise in public art and community-based projects,” Amber Danielson, executive director of the Alliance, said. “Primo will paint four new murals in underserved neighborhoods, to tell the story of Marshalltown, capturing the unique experiences and dreams of its residents.”
People interested in providing feedback for what they’d like to see included in the artwork can complete this survey by June 14: www.artsandculturealliance.org/experiences
It consists of four questions, which seek to learn more about the survey takers’ background, personal stories related to the tornado and derecho and vision for Marshalltown. You do not need to answer all the questions in order to complete the survey. An optional fifth question at the end asks you to create a drawing, in no more than 10 minutes, using any object or symbol from your story, then emailing it to the Alliance at: director@artsandculturealliance.org.
Work is set to begin this month. Danielson said Primo did more than a dozen interviews in both the public and private sectors to get a better understanding of Marshalltown’s identity.
“The interviews highlighted the community’s cultural diversity, which will serve as a central theme throughout the project. The murals will depict the history of the community, the diversity of its people, the resilience and empathy displayed in the aftermath of the natural disasters and the hopes and dreams of its residents,” he said in a statement.
Primo, who has done murals around the world, is drawn to representing cultural histories and incorporating site-specific artworks to help tell a community’s unique story.
“I achieve this by identifying and incorporating popular symbols that have significance for the identity of the place,” he said.
While in town, he will work with local youth-focused organizations to offer art workshops.
The murals will be paid for with funds from several local and statewide grants.
“This is a project representative of the Arts and Culture Master Plan,” Danielson noted.
In addition to completing the survey by June 14, people can participate in designated paint days, which will be announced on the Marshall County Arts & Culture Alliance’s Facebook page.
“Our goal for this project is to engage individuals, youth and families in a community-building mural project to increase community connectedness and pride, while infusing beauty and vibrancy into our neighborhoods. Most importantly, we seek for the community to be the inspiration for the mural designs and be a part of the mural creation process,” mural committee member and local artist Kim Hanken said in a statement.
The Alliance, which formed in 2004, helps the community connect to art and culture through promoting, supporting and enriching concepts that are already in place and searching for new endeavors and partnerships.
“The Alliance is excited to collaborate with the community to create a lasting tribute to the strength and vitality of Marshalltown. We believe that community involvement is essential in creating public art, and invite the community to take pART in this groundbreaking project,” Danielson said.
In addition to engaging the community with these new murals, the Alliance is hosting a Festival Cultural day on October 15 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the 13th Street District – West End Park. Live music, activities for youth, food trucks, vendors and more will be offered. For inquiries about being a vendor, entertainment or food, reach out to Wendy Soltero at: 641-751-5876. For information about sponsorships, event logistics or advertising/marketing, connect with Danielson at: director@artsandculturealliance.org or 641-752-2787.
To view the Master Plan, go to: www.artsandculturealliance.org/master-plan. To view some of Primo’s artwork, visit www.sashaprimo.com.
