The 12 foot x 24 foot Crochet mural, La Flor De Mi Madre by artist Naomi Lawrence, is being installed on the fence at Eugene McCabe Field in East Harlem. It represents the diverse community in which it is placed, in a colorful representation of national flowers.
The installation on the fence at Park Avenue and 121st Street began early on July 1st. The installation is large and can easily be seen by passengers on Metro North and all traffic heading South on Park Avenue. Here are a few pictures of the artist at work.
We took a peek at the artist’s work-in-progress, as she pieced the installation together on the floor of the main gallery at PS 109 Art Space in East Harlem in June, 2019 ~ Here are a few images below.
Born in England, the New York based, street-yarnist, Naomi Lawrence works with acrylic yarn, creating two-dimensional, colorful eye-popping crochet murals that have been commissioned all around town ~ like her Delphiniums for Art in Odd Places; Hibiscus Trees on a fence on West 108th Street, and a lone Crocus on Second Avenue; Magnolia’s, Orchid’s, Lotus’, Paperwhites and on & on……
For this site-specific installation, her creations cover the length and breadth of the surrounding ethnic diversity in El Barrio. As we entered through the glass doors of the gallery, at our feet was a giant Dalia, in shades of red to brown to pink to green and yellow ~ representing Mexico.
More than a dozen Frangipani, representing the Ivory Coast, will soon be connected to each other, to Mexico, and then to Columbia.
Columbia is represented by a large Christmas Orchid, with Bayahibe, representing the Dominican Republic to the left.
The pink Bayahibe to be attached to a large Hibiscus, with dozens of small Impala Lilly’s, representing Ghana to the left.
There is still much work to be done ~ more flowers to attach, and leaves to create. In the images above and below, lovers of the art of crochet who live in East Harlem, are here to assist. Another shift was due to arrive that afternoon.
Naomi Lawrence: La Flor De Mi Madre will be on view from July 1, 2019 to July 6, 2020, located at Eugene McCabe Field, 1718 Park Avenue at 121st Street in East Harlem.
La Flor De Mi Madre is made possible in part with public funds from Creative Engagement supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and administered by LMCC.
Funding has also been provided by the Public Art Initiative, an ongoing cultural equity initiative of the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance sponsored by the Durst Organization and the Harlem Community Development Corporation.
Naomi Lawrence: La Flor De Mi Madre is one of two installations that will be on view on the fence at Euguene McCabe Field. Look forward to Capucine Bourcart: EAT ME! We expect this installation to begin going up on July 2nd.
Opening Reception for La Flor De Mi Madre and EAT ME! will be Tuesday, July 9th at 6:00pm on Park Avenue between 120th/121st Street in Harlem. After Party at UGC Eats ~ info Right Here.
The Eugene McCabe Field installation is one of four summer projects submitted to the Community Board by Public Art Initiative’s Director, Connie Lee. All four pictured in the image below, from L-R, Saya Woolfalk: Creative Courts + Public Color ~ Naomi Lawrence: La Flor De Mi Madre ~ Capucine Bourcart: Eat Me! and unveiling in August, Susan Stair: Roots on Fire.
Check out some yarn-bombing with the artist on YouTube. Follow Naomi Lawrence on Instagram and Twitter. Follow the Public Art Initiative.