Façade Mural

Robin Henry is an Indigenous artist who lives and works in the Old East Village. It is therefore fitting that Robin was asked by the OEV BIA to paint a unique and engaging mural that speaks to the essence of the land. Robin’s mural is, in this regard, a landscape. But not a typical landscape as it is both mythic (or *mystic), and deeply grounded in reality. A valley of stylized mountains, reminiscent of cosmic waves, engulfs a blazing red sun that is set within an infinite field of twinkling stars. A sense of movement breaks the stillness of the composition as wavy thick lines dreamily waft from the sun and fill the night sky. The sun is a giver of life and perhaps for that reason Robin filled the red fireball with detailed and delicately drawn Indigenous plants – gifts - that naturally grow in this region. How many of them can you identify?

Interestingly, Robin said that they had always considered themself as an artist, but after painting this mural they now consider themself to be a muralist. Consequently, Robin has since created two additional murals in the East Village. Such output has added even more inspiration and distinction to the community.

*The storefront that this mural is painted on used to be The Mystic Bookshop, a long-standing local business known as a community curiosity.