You are reading

Two Murals, One Wall: A Dispute Between Muralists Ends With One Project Moving Forward

Volunteers cleaning the area near the wall (Photo courtesy of Yvonne Shortt)

Sept. 7, 2018 By Tara Law (Edited 9/8)

A dispute between two muralist teams about the rights to paint on a neglected wall on Yellowstone Boulevard between Austin Street and Burns Street has been resolved by the wall’s owner— the MTA.

The wall became the source of controversy earlier this summer when the two teams of muralists declared that they had competing claims to paint there. 

While one of the teams envisioned painting a geometric ode to the community’s diversity, the other team planned to create a mural honoring Helen Keller.

The two projects were planned separately, and funded by different means— the Keller mural by Councilmember Karen Koslowitz’s office, and the other mural by the nonprofit Citizens Committee for New York City.

This August, the MTA made a final decision. The muralists planning the abstract painting had already submitted their design to the MTA, but the organizers of the Keller mural did not. 

The MTA offered Michael Perlman, coordinator of the Keller mural and the chairman of the Rego-Forest Preservation Council, the opportunity to share the wall, but he declined.

Yvonne Shortt of arts nonprofit RPGA Studio, who is helming the abstract mural project, said that

Digital rendering of Shortt’s mural. The background will be yellow and red, Shortt said (Image: Yvonne Shortt)

she wishes that Perlman had considered sharing the wall.

“We’re sorry that it did not work out,” said Shortt. “I have nothing but positive things to say for Michael.”

According to Perlman, the Keller mural had been precisely measured for the wall, and reconfiguring or shrinking the design was not an option. He added that he felt that the two murals would not look appropriate together.

Perlman acknowledged that he is looking for another location for the Keller mural. 

“Now that I think of it, it is a depressing spot for a Helen Keller mural, especially since she aimed to brighten the world in various ways including her mission to remove social stigmas,” he wrote.

Shortt said that her team and community volunteers will begin to prime the wall on Sept. 15. The team will paint a background color on the wall and lines to guide the placement of the mural.

Then on Sept. 30, community members will gather to paint the mural on panels. The mural panels will then be hung on the underpass wall per Long Island Railroad rules, Short said.

The grid design will feature flowers from around the world and the words “love, respect, tolerance and resilience,” in different languages. 

Shortt said that the project’s central themes were prescient. 

On July 6, an unknown individual painted the Star of David in black on the underpass, police said. Although the symbol is a common gang sign, some members of the community interpreted the graffiti as anti-Semitic, Shortt said.

Volunteers from the community and Shortt’s team have worked throughout the summer to help clean the area, which was overgrown and covered with garbage.

Shortt’s team is working with the police department and the community board to assure that totaled cars are not stored at the underpass for significant periods of time, she said.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

3 Comments

Click for Comments 
Bashie Laster

Yes indeed! Yvonne Shortt does incredible work for our community.

But let’s not forget Mark Laster, Community Activist, who was instrumental in “planting the seeds” for this project!

Reply
Resident

Yvonne Shortt does so much good work in our neighborhood.
We are lucky to have her. Thank you!!

7
5
Reply
curator at the Met

Like Shortt I, too am proud of our community’s diversity and pro-diversity messages are important under Trump but that mural looks wack. To be fair even if Helen Keller was campaigned for women’s suffrage, labor rights, socialism and antimilitarism idk if it would have been a great mural.

4
5
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

May races in Queens: JFK Airport 5K, Forest Park trail classic and a Queensborough 5K

May. 16, 2025 By Paulina Albarracin

The energy of May is on full display across Queens, with a lineup of local races that invite runners of all levels to hit the pavement and the trails. With mild temperatures and sunny skies setting the stage, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of the spring weather before the summer heat sets in. From the Forest Park 4 Mile Road and Trail Classic to the festive Great Hawaiian Luau 5K at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, these events offer more than just a workout—they foster community spirit and personal growth. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen before lacing up and heading out. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or new to the sport, these May races offer a chance to challenge yourself and connect with others in motion.

Mayor Adams marks one year of ‘Padlock to Protect’ with pizza and progress in Queens

Mayor Eric Adams marked the one-year anniversary of the launch of the city’s “Operation Padlock to Protect” initiative at a pizzeria on the Rego Park and Middle Village border on Wednesday and touted the significant progress in shutting down more than 1,400 illegal smoke shops across the five boroughs and seizing more than $95 million in illegal product since last May.

“The city was fed up. We heard it at every town hall. This time last year, there were thousands of illegal smoke shops plaguing our city with unlicensed cannabis endangering our children,” Adams said. “One year later, we are proud to announce that we have turned the tide. Thanks to the tireless efforts by our city’s law enforcement officers, we’ve padlocked thousands of illegal shops and created safer streets for children and families. But we’re not stopping there.”