Mason Arts 250 mural installed in Annandale
A new mural brightens up Annandale.
The artwork, featuring the Statue of Liberty, was installed on July 24 on the fence around a construction site on John Marr Drive.
Several volunteers painted the mural on June 27 at an Asian Night Market in Annandale under the direction of Omaid Sharifi, the president and co-founder of the ArtLords international art collective.
The mural is part of the Mason District Art Council’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
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When the council launched the Mason Art 250 program six months ago, the group identified six projects to take place before July 4: two concerts, a poetry contest, a one-act play showcase, a wishing tree, and the community mural.
“For us, this has been a singular achievement because it marks where we are on a path; it’s not an endpoint,” said Mason District Arts Council Chair James Albright at a brief installation ceremony for the mural on July 24.
Council members working on the mural project selected the poem by Emma Lazarus engraved on a plaque at the Statue of Liberty. The mural depicts the statue with lines from the famous poem, beginning with “Give me your tired, your poor.”
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“We’re so excited to have ArtLords, and obviously, the Mason Art Council is such a huge part of this,” said Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez. “And we’re really happy that Insight let us do this here on this property.”
Insight Property Group is developing a mixed-use apartment building with retail at the East Gate Shopping Center in partnership with property owner Brian Kim.
ArtLords was founded in Afghanistan to bring messages of peace, hope, and social change through murals. After a repressive government banned art, artists went into hiding.
Sharifi, who immigrated to the U.S., reflected on the meaning of the Statue of Liberty. “This place is a refuge for a lot of people. They tried to erase us; now we’re working in six countries,” he said. “This country still is that shining light.”
Stuart Holt, president of ArtsFairfax, lauded the local art community for promoting the arts in Mason District.