New mural planned for The Paseo

A mural that communicates coastal hazards is planned for The Paseo downtown thanks to a state grant focused on art that displays coastal hazard themes.

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Ocean-themed mural at The Paseo on Main Street in downtown Rahway
The Paseo

City Council approved a resolution (AR-92-23) at its April 10 regular meeting entering into an agreement with Andrey Kravtsov of Key Detail for $22,000 to install a mural at the Paseo as part of the 2023 Community -based art grant program through the state Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP). In February, City Council approved a resolution (AR-53-23) formally accepting a $22,000 grant from the DEP’s Community Based Art Program.

The mural is expected to be completed by the end of September, according to SID Director Elton Armady. There is no approved design yet, he said, as all requirements per the DEP and contract process are being finalized.

Kravtsov, who submitted a proposal to design and install the mural, will receive $13,000 for the labor cost associated with the mural installation, according to the resolution, and additional funds from the grant program will cover the costs of materials associated with installation not to exceed $9,000. Key Detail’s portfolio includes murals in Kansas City, Missouri; Greencastle, Indiana; Fort Wayne, Indiana; New Albany, Indiana; Green River, Wyoming; and, China. His art style is labeled at fantasy, figurative, and abstract. It can be found on Instagram.

Funding for the DEP program can be used for the costs associated with installation of a mural that will be located in the Paseo off Main Street in downtown. The resolution formally grants permission to the Division of Land Use and Rahway Special Improvement District (SID) to install a mural through the grant program.

The Paseo is a wide alleyway leading from Main Street to the Lewis Street parking lot near River Place apartments, which plays host to concerts and other SID events throughout the year. It currently has a small mural on one wall and a set of wings painted on the other with the words “Rahway: Creativity Lives Here” above them.

The DEP’s Community-Based Art Grant Program supports community-based projects in coastal areas to develop and display artwork that effectively communicates coastal hazards,” which are defined as coastal hazards are defined as flooding caused by coastal conditions, such as rising sea levels, coastal storms such as nor’easters and hurricanes, or high-tide flooding when no storm is present,” according to the resolution. Art installations are to be in existing public spaces located in the coastal zone.

Under the DEP’s program eligible installations include:

  • Murals;
  • Light displays;
  • Installations created from community collected trash; or
  • Performance art (dance, music, or theatre).

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