by Nancy Lewis

(Plain Press, August 2014) The richest piece of public art in Cleveland’s west side, It’s up to us, a mural by artist John Rivera-Resto, was completed on July 10, 2014. The busy intersection of Clark Avenue and West 25th Street on Cleveland’s near west side has been made an iconic landmark by the addition of this large-scale mural.  The mural’s realism and panoramic scale (2000 square feet) is visually stunning in its own right but what is strongly resonating with audiences is what it shows: a hard hitting and thought provoking commentary about the damage that social, economic and political ills do to a neighborhood.

The mural’s location is at the heart of one of Cleveland’s most vibrant and culturally rich neighborhoods, home to large Hispanic, Asian, African-American and Italian communities.  Its central theme, inspired in part by John F. Kennedy’s speech about reaching for the moon by putting aside personal differences, being accountable and making sacrifices, and Bob Dylan’s song, “The Times they are a-Changin”, urges people to take responsibility for their actions to improve their lives and their neighborhoods.

The mural’s design is as ingenious as any renaissance masterpiece.  The illusion has been constructed within a life-size scale backdrop of six storefront facades that cleverly incorporate the real entrances to medical offices.  Within this framework, a cast of over 40 individual characters, the mural grittily captures many elements of urban life in a seamless blend of form and content.

What’s more, pedestrians walking along the mural really appear to inhabit the space thereby adding more to the realism.  When seen with the attentiveness it commands, the artistry and depth of the design provides almost the richness of a great panoramic novel.  The universality of its theme and imagery is one that can easily speak to any urban community in the world.

The artwork, created by master-muralist and Cleveland native John Rivera-Resto, a 40-year veteran in the international stage, with degrees from Cleveland State University and Norwich University of Vermont and hundreds of works to his credit. Rivera-Resto is considered, by many, as one of the top-ten muralists in the nation.  His specialty in propaganda art and a background in theatre, writing and lecturing make him a natural for this type of narrative painting.

Rivera-Resto’s artistic philosophy is as thoughtful as his paintings. He states: “A great mural lives within an environment.  But it does not preach, it does not blame; it makes us understand.”

Rivera-Resto and his young apprentices spent three years developing and painting It’s up to us on site. Completing this ambitious project was challenging and fraught with many obstacles.  Cities such as Boston, Philadelphia,  and Los Angeles have large and well-funded professional mural painting programs that highlight the cultural riches of their neighborhoods, beautify their urban areas, and bring new forms of revenue to their economies.  With this mural, Rivera-Resto means to throw down the gauntlet with the challenge: “Why not Cleveland?  This is proof that it can be done.”

In fact, the mural is surpassing all community expectations and people from other parts of the city are taking notice.   With It’s up to us, Rivera-Resto managed to hit a cord in the public’s consciousness, and, in the process, he created the richest piece of public art in Cleveland and the most thematically relevant to the community.

Editor’s Note: The author, Nancy Lewis, is a business agent and representative for Muralmaster.  She is also a longtime Lakewood resident whose career spans the fields of international travel management and culinary arts. To find out more about this project and see detailed photos, please visit

http://www.muralmaster.org/current/curr_2012_mural_it%27s_up_to_us/It%27s%20up%20to%20us.html

To see other works by the artist, please visit

http://www.muralmaster.org



Contacts:      
Nancy Lewis      
nancylewis@muralmaster.org   
(216) 228-2325     

John Rivera-Resto
www.muralmaster.org
john-rr@muralmaster.org
(216) 225-4833.

 

Artist’s Statement of Recognition: Artist John Rivera-Resto placed this statement of recognition on the It’s up to us mural:

June 2014

This Mural is dedicated to

Chris Luciani.

His vision and tireless effort made

this gift to the neighborhood a reality.

 

John Rivera-Resto

Master Painter & Mural Designer

1. muralmaster.org

 

Richard Owens

Assisting Artist

 

Amanda Maldonado

Lead Apprentice

 

Joshua Serrano

John Alexander

Assisting Apprentices

 

Young Student Apprentices

Surface Prep and Underpainting

 Mural My Neighborhood Program

City of Cleveland

 Thalia Fomby                     Yanna Morgan

Jacob Buntyn                     Shamyra Johnson

Margaux May                       Gabriel Pichardo

Victoria Vélez                      Omar Bright

 

Our deepest gratitude to:

Gloria Ferris

Megan Meister, SCFBC

Councilman Brian Cummins

Nancy Anne Lewis

Ricky Nelson Rivera

And Dr. Nicholas Rinaldi

“Your commitment to the project was invaluable.”