New mural being installed showcases local talent
Talented people generally have numerous projects in progress during any point in time.
Bentrize Jusu fits that category as the local artist, music performer, activist and photographer enjoys a weekend of creativity.
Jusu currently plays a major role in a unique mural being posted on a building near North Clinton Ave. and South Olden Ave. and guests to Art All Night will find the radically interesting artist on stage around midnight for the city’s 24-hour art, music, food and people watching extravaganza being held Saturday through Sunday at the Roebling Wire Works facility on South Clinton Ave.
“I’ll be performing music and poetry,” Jusu announced, thrilled about the opportunity to evoke ideas about life. Her photo mural, described as a “presentation that uses photography to express a particular message,” in this case, views from neighborhood girls who ventured into their communities with cameras.
“They participated in what amounted to a neighborhood scavenger hunt,” Jusu explained. The project includes some old photos collected by Jusu.
Iana Dikidjieva, another city resident with a variety of interests and projects, added insight about the mural that partially decorates a large wall on the side of a home.
“We selected teenagers who happened to be all girls. They were sent out to take photos of their community, views of what the neighborhood means to them,” Dikidjieva, a East Trenton Collaborative consultant, said.
Jusu said the mural and photos represented “a kind of coming of age for the girls.” BlueInk Studio, based in Ewing, oversees mural application which included a two-day power wash “to remove all dirt and dust particles,” Fredy Barrientos, a company salesman said.
Next came installation of vinyl panels that incorporated photos taken by the neighborhood teen photog- raphers. “It’s a special vinyl made for concrete and porous surfaces,” noted Barrientos. “Each mural panel sizes about 8 by 4 feet. They’re heated up and then we use a special roller to press the panels onto the wall. Each panel needs about two hours for application.”
Luis Juarez, BlueInk Studio owner, guides a project slated for completion by June 23.
“We’re planning a special event to introduce the completed mural to the community,” Dikidjieva said.