Chicago Arts Nonprofit Goes Global

CHICAGO - March 24, 2015 - PRLog -- CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, March 24, 2015, Green Star Movement, a Chicago-based nonprofit that inspires students and community members to design and realize public art, recently completed three large-scale bricolage murals in Rio de Janeiro as part of a grant it received from the MacArthur Foundation’s International Connections Fund which supports two-way artistic exchanges that benefit Chicago arts and culture nonprofits and their peer organizations abroad.

In January, Green Star Movement artists and two Chicago teen apprentices traveled to Rio de Janeiro to work on the first mural, located in Botafogo, which fuses images of indigenous flora, Afro-Brazilian motifs, and symbols of hope and perseverance. The next mural was completed in partnership with the American Consulate in Brazil, local youth, and the UPP (Unidade de Polícia Pacificadora/ Pacifying Police Unit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacifying_Police_Unit)) in Morro de Providência, the oldest and first-to-be-pacified favela. A central focus of that mural was the image of local legend Dodo da Portela, a samba composer, descendant of African slaves, and an important figure in the history of Rio Carnival. For the final mural, located in Trabajares, Green Star artists teamed up with Brazilian street artist Tick to bring attention to the critical issue of water accessibility in the favelas, which is especially inadequate right now as Brazil is suffering from a record-breaking drought.

“We had great feedback from locals about the impact of the projects in the communities, particularly the one in Providencia, as it provided a unique opportunity for collaboration and cooperation between two groups (members of the UPP and residents of the favelas) that otherwise have a tense, and often hostile relationship,” shares Kamelia Hristeva, founder and CEO of Green Star Movement and lead artist for the Brazil projects.

As part of the cultural exchange, two of the Brazilian youth artists that participated in the Providencia project in Rio will journey to Chicago this spring to work with Green Star Movement and Chicago teens on a mural here. By educating and inspiring youth through these inclusive public art projects and providing them the opportunity to explore new cultures, Green Star Movement hopes to empower the next generation of artists to ignite positive change in their communities.

Green Star Movement is a Chicago-based 501(c)3 nonprofit that inspires students and community members to design and realize public art. This interactive process builds teamwork and self esteem in the participants and revitalizes urban neighborhoods. Since our founding in 2005, Green Star Movement has provided more than 4000 students with mural arts programming and successfully transformed the interiors and exteriors of over 45 public spaces, including schools, parks, and community centers.