Representatives from Taconic, Office of NYS Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Brooklyn-based Visual Artist Pamela Allen Spoke
BRONX, NY – JUNE 15, 2022– Taconic Partners (Taconic) and Clarion Partners (Clarion) hosted a press conference, followed by a Community Action Day, this past Saturday, June 11, at their flagship Quality Communities property, Eastchester Heights in the Bronx. To kick-off the day's festivities, remarks were given by Andrew Schwartz, Vice President of Residential Asset Management, Taconic; Pamella Allen, Pamella Allen Fine Arts; and Alexandra'e Wint, Director of Community Relations, Office of NYS Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, followed by a catered reception and the mural assembly.
“Collaboration is the key to community," said NYS Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie. “Thank you to Taconic, Debra Simon, and Pamella Allen for illustrating how much art imitates life. This past weekend, we were able to celebrate the creativity and diversity of the 83rd Assembly district with this one-of-a-kind mural that will be here for years to come. Seeing what can be done when we all come together is what this is all about."
In seeking to celebrate the importance of building strong, positive communities, Taconic worked collaboratively with award-winning public arts curator and producer, Debra Simon, and Brooklyn-based visual artist Pamella Allen, to develop and execute a two-day initiative that first brought participants together to create imagery, symbols, silhouettes, and words that reflect themselves and the community during an Art Workshop led by Pamella. As a teaching artist sharing her process in communities throughout New York and in partnership with organizations, Ms. Allen has created site-specific public art murals, mixed media installations, and anthologies for publication. Simon, who worked with Ms. Allen, recognized the alignment between Taconic's vision for the project and Ms. Allen's work in communities for the past 12 years, which resulted in a partnership for the Eastchester Heights mural.
“We have been waiting to unveil this project with the Eastchester Heights and Bronx communities as it represents our ability to come together and create something impactful," said Schwartz. “Pamella Allen is a true visionary, and this project would not have been the same without her. Her infectious spirit, combined with the community's support, made this a truly incredible experience."
As to mark the commencement of the mural assembly of the artwork done the day prior, Taconic, alongside Quality Communities, the Office of NYS Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, Ms. Allen and Ms. Simon applied the first paint strokes to the mural. In keeping to the project's collaborative nature, participants successfully delivered the painted two-dimensional mural in the form of a mandala, a complex geometric configuration of meaningful symbols.
“The benefit to bringing arts practice into collaboration with the community cannot be overstated, it is priceless watching individuals blossom in the wonder of their own creativity and come together to celebrate their unity and diversity by using their creative voice," added Ms. Allen.
For more information on Eastchester Heights please visit https://eastchesterheights.com.
