The first annual Jersey City Mural Festival arrives this weekend at the new Harborside Campus near the city’s Hudson River waterfront. The weekend-long festival will take place June 5-6 and will activate more than 30 walls across Jersey City.
The festival features new works from more than 50 painters and is anchored by a new large-scale mural by artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya. Her mural is titled “Stand With Us” and was created as commentary against the rising tide of anti-Asian harassment.
“Art has the ability to soothe grief, amplify joy, and rally people to action,” said Phingbodhipakkiya. “Stand With Us is meant to be a love letter to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in Jersey City. You are seen, you are heard, and you have allies beside you.”
Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya’s digital illustration for “Stand With Us” mural
Other featured artists include Ron English, Queen Andrea, Dragon76, Woes, Boy Kong, Jose Mertz, L’Amour Supreme, and local artists Distort, Pawn, Emilio Florentine, Clarence Rich, Will Power, Paws, Mustart, RORSHACH, Joe Waks, and more.
“We started our Mural Arts Program seven years ago to offset vandalism and graffiti, and so to be here today announcing the inaugural showcase for our renowned public arts program is a testament to Jersey City’s burgeoning arts community and the incredibly talented artists who live and work here,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “This festival aims to uplift our local businesses, while also inspiring creativity and community through the shared experience of public art with our first large-scale event in over a year.”
Mack-Cali Realty Corporation and SJP Properties worked as co-developers to complete the campus, which includes Harborside 1, Harborside 2, and Harborside 3, a contiguous set of eight- to 12-story office buildings along the Jersey City waterfront.
Additional components include two additional office buildings, a waterfront esplanade, a mix of enclosed and outdoor dining areas, and an open-air marketplace. Smorgusburg will eventually occupy a portion of the property’s open-air marketplace, the company’s first New Jersey outpost. Total retail area accounts for approximately 71,000 square feet of the development.
“As people go back to work and congregate to enjoy outdoor events in a post-COVID world, we are excited to be a part of such a great event in Jersey City, support our local artists and host an enjoyable, holistic experience for workers, visitors, and locals alike,” said Mahbod Nia, CEO of Mack-Cali.
Rendering of Harborside Atrium and the adjacent District Kitchen food hall – Photo courtesy of Mack-Cali
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