Partner Highlight: Wexford Science & Technology

Wexford Science & Technology has been a committed partner for The Avenue Concept (TAC) since the two organization’s first project together in 2018, One Ship Street’s original mural, “Burner” by Jimboe.  One Ship Street has had four additional rotations, resulting in 5 murals at the same wall over a period of 7 years and the site continues to draw attention from those who live and work in the neighborhood.  Following Burner, TAC and Wexford presented Revival by Above in 2019, followed by the extremely resonant VOTE mural in 2020, a monumental voting year.  VOTE invited a new direction for the curation of this wall, and TAC and Wexford continued exploring message-based murals in 2022 with Ryan Adams’ mural Stay Strong Fight On.  The newest installation, unveiled in time for Pride month in June of this year, is local artist Michael Ezzell’s piece You Are My Sunshine, a jubilant tribute to the 20 year anniversary of the first legal same sex marriages in MA and CA in 2004.  Also new this year are a series of projects throughout Davol Square and The Urban Coastal Greenway.  Davol Square hosts two new ground murals, one a tribute to the Jewelry Districts history, in the form of Blue Diamond by James Mustin, and a second an homage by Rene Gomez to the state of Rhode Island and the many pollinators that contribute to the local ecosystem.

Wexford’s investment in One Ship Street paved the way for TAC’s facilitation of public art projects for both the inside and outside their groundbreaking new building, Point225, home to CIC/District Hall Providence local restaurant Bayberry Garden and outpost for both Johnson & Johnson and Brown University.  Tenants and visitors are greeted by Myles Dumas’ encompassing lobby mural, BIOFUTURE, inspired by the building’s tenants and the work that they do.  You Are Exactly Where You Need To Be, by Sagie Vangelina, sweeps visitors and tenants through Venture Cafe’s first and second floors; Stratum 1, 2, 3, by Jimboe is on view in the second floor elevator lobby.  While no longer on view, the building opened with Steven Siegel’s monumental sculpture, Like a buoy, like a barrel, a culmination of artistic expression, months of planning and facilitated community engagement and volunteer power.

The newest exterior project is a series of artistic Pollinator hotels sited throughout the Urban Coastal Greenway atop upcycled former Kennedy Plaza Bus Depot pedestals now hand painted by local artist NaturalsNatural.

Wexford’s investment to the neighborhood through TAC’s public artwork facilitation has contributed to the Jewelry district’s energy, vibrancy and storytelling.  TAC would like to thank Wexford Science & Technology for their commitment to public art and the community–we make public art together.