OLD LYME — On Sunday, June 12, the newly-created ‘Welcome’ mural at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School (LOLMS) will be dedicated at a ceremony starting at 2:30 p.m. and running through 3:30 p.m.
The dedication will be preceded by a Community Talk and celebration of the mural from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Those attending will discuss what has been learned in the last two years of PARJE action and what can be done better in the future.
The talk will be held in the LOLMS Auditorium or if the weather is pleasant, then the group will meet in the adjacent courtyard.
All are welcome to attend at either or both events.
The mural is part of the Sister Murals Project sponsored by Public Art for Racial Justice Education (PARJE), which was officially launched March 1, 2021.
The primary mission of PARJE is to utilize the broad appeal of art and education to confront racial injustice.
One mural has already been unveiled in Norwich and murals have now been completed in Old Lyme and New London.
The lead artists for the Old Lyme mural is Jasmine Oyola-Blumenthal, who is an alumna of Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts
The Old Lyme Sister Mural has been installed inside Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School, adjacent to the gymnasium.
In addition to her role as lead artist, Oyola-Blumenthal worked with school faculty to develop student workshops, which coordinated with the project.
Oyola-Blumenthal and her counterpart for the New London mural, Marvin Espy, were selected from a field of nearly 20 applicants.
In her application, Oyola-Blumenthal referred to the ability of art to inspire people to talk to one another, commenting, “Art is a neutral vessel that can bring forth conversations that can be uncomfortable and promote opportunities to open dialogue on racial justice and education.”