Part of the transformational 100% affordable community Willets Point—New York City's largest 100% affordable, new construction development in over 40 years—Willets Point Commons is preparing to open its doors to residents this April. Conveniently located steps from public transit options and offering an array of amenities to make every day more comfortable and connected, Willets Point Commons presents high-quality housing with access to neighborhood retail, entertainment and a world-class soccer stadium. Leading up to the grand opening of Willets Point Commons, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs' City Canvas program helped facilitate the creation of a brand new public artwork displayed on the neighborhood's construction fencing across from the residence, extending over 2,600 feet in total. The City Canvas initiative approached Queens Development Group—a partnership between Related Companies and Sterling Equities—to select an artist for the project, in collaboration with organizations incuding NYCEDC. QDG chose Venazir Martinez, a Filipina muralist and visual anthropreneur, to create a large-scale artwork that would be licensed, fabricated and displayed on the fencing in order to bring color and beauty to the neighborhood. In Venazir's own words, she tells "stories of migration, memory and resilience through murals on city walls," making evocative artwork around the world that brings together diverse perspectives.Venazir unveiled The Shaping of New York in March, livening up the construction fencing at Willets Point with a piece that engages the public and tells meaningful stories about the people who have made the city what it is today." The Shaping of New York honors the generations of immigrants, workers and everyday people whose labor and presence have shaped the city’s identity, says Venazir. "I was inspired by the idea that New York’s iconic landscapes and ever-changing skyline are not only architectural achievements, but also living records of human struggle, cultural movement and resilience."Being part of a temporary installation means that The Shaping of New York is transitory in nature, representing the changing nature of the city itself. "To have my work installed at Willets Point means becoming part of a city in motion," says Venazir. "It is an incredible opportunity to place art within a moment of change. My work does not simply decorate the site, but shapes how people experience it." Venazir looks forward to the moment when residents move in, giving them the chance to experience artwork every day and, as she puts it: "They can simply pass by, pause, reflect and maybe see themselves or their community in it."
