My small apartment is located next to one of New York’s main attractions, the Coney Island beach and boardwalk that includes an aquarium and amusement park. Occasionally on the boardwalk, you can see these phenomenal murals and street art. Recently, on one of my afternoon strolls, a particular mural caught my eye. It’s artist, Danielle Mastrion, designed this masterpiece in a way that made people stop and truly be in awe of the beautiful piece, along with it’s alarming truth. It begins by showcasing a fish that you might see in the ocean on the left, and as the viewer continues to move towards the right, its body slowly becomes plastic water bottles, cardboard, cigarettes; different forms of garbage and litter that humans constantly use to pollute the waters around us. The end of the painting showcase the bones of the tail of the fish. The color scheme of the background also transitions from a lighter to a darker blue and the viewer continues moving from left to right. The clear purpose of this was to get people to recycle more and dispose of their waste in an eco-friendly manner. However, if you observe the mural from the right to left, it shows the bones and all of this trash to becoming a fish full of beautiful color and life, which can show the viewers the impact that reducing, reusing, and recycling can have on the fauna in our oceans. The mural also depicts air bubbles that give examples of how people can help make this change and make the world a healthier place. As Mastrion describes it, the fish depicted is a “Phoenix rising from the ashes”.
For as long as I can remember, the art on the boardwalk has been constantly changing. This piece is reasonably new, made in 2017, as a response to the ongoing human-made issue of water pollution. Originally, this piece was one of the winners of the New York Aquariums 2017 Mural Competition to protect oceans and marine wildlife. Since then, the artist has continued to paint walls and canvases all throughout New York and many other cities. According to the New York Aquarium site, the prize for the winners was a $2,000 cash prize, and a one-year Family Premium WCS membership to each individual listed on the entry form. Although I was unable to find satisfactory information on the materials used to create this mural, Mastrion is known to be an oil painter with abilities to translate her work into aerosol as well. Although placed in the midst of a sunny and crowded boardwalk, this mural stands out and catches the eye of any observer. Especially when the sun goes down, the vibrant colors truly speak to the people that pass, and they can’t help but glance at the story that it tells.
