“oNe pLace many CulTures.” Look closely, do you see it? Here’s a hint, it’s written in a mural in downtown New London. “One Place Many Cultures” by Russ Kramer, assisted by Katie Fogg, is located on the Hygienic Art Park stage house. Created in 2012, it was part of the initiative that produced Wall to Wall: The New London Mural Walk. The mural is made up of 26 different captivating faces. These faces depict people of all different ethnicities, cultures and genders. What is most intriguing, however, is the story behind each face. The portraits are those of real New Londoners. Amongst them are a Coast Guard cadet, a postman, and one student from each grade in the New London public schools from middle school through high school. Between the three rows that make up the mural, the words “oNe pLace many CulTures” are painted. Do you see it? The capital letters spell out “NL CT.”
How much do you really know about New London? Did you know that it was one of the very first settlements in the New World? How about that it is one of the smallest cities in Connecticut, reaching only 5.62 square miles in size? What about the fact that just over 27,000 people call that 5.62 square miles home? Of these people there are several different ethnicities and cultures represented. The amount of culture and pride that New Londoners have for their city is plentiful in many aspects. While Conn calls New London home, the small city is much more than just a train station and ferry port. Bustling with culture and diversity, New London definitely deserves some attention from the Conn community. As someone who grew up in the New London area, I can honestly say that you never know what you might find on the streets of downtown. I can also say that more often than not, you might be surprised at what the small yet diverse city has to offer.
At one point during your time at Conn, you will spend time in downtown New London. That being said, you are bound to spot quite a few (if you haven’t already) on the Wall to Wall tour. Many of these murals share the same theme: cultural diversity and forming unity amongst the people of New London. At Conn, everyone has a different story and background, yet many of us still identify only as part of the campus community.
New London was once known as a major whaling city. Even years after the whale populations disappeared from the Thames (how awesome would it be to have whales right in our backyard?), New Londoners still identify as part of the whaling community. This sense of identity is portrayed in one of the most magnificent murals in the city; “The Great Sperm Whales.” Painted by the famous artist Robert Wyland, “The Great Sperm Whales” is a stunning mural of you guessed it, life-size sperm whales. Painted on the back of Sarge’s Comics in 1993, the mural is an iconic New London landmark. Captivating and intimidating, the mural spans a 170-foot long and 40-foot high wall. Located at the corner of State Street and Eugene O’Neill Drive, it is hard to miss. These “whales” were one of the very first murals to be painted downtown.
“The Great Sperm Whales” is not the only impressive mural in New London. One of the most notorious pieces is “Hygienic Ladies” (better known as the “Naked Ladies”) made by Terry Davis. These iconic ladies are painted on the side of the Hygienic Arts building on Bank Street. Stretching across the entire side of the multi-story building, the “Hygienic Ladies” face on-coming traffic. Anyone trying to get to I-95, both southbound and northbound, or route 32 from downtown New London is bound to pass it. Quite the controversial piece, reactions to the “Naked Ladies” span from absolute love to absolute confusion. Whatever your take is on them, they are quite notorious in this area.
Another prominent mural would be “Songs of Our City.” Created by Qimin Liu and Mark McKee in cooperation with students from the Lyme Academy of Fine Arts, “Songs of Our City” is located on Eugene O’Neill Drive across from “The Great Sperm Whales.” The mural depicts six different people: each person is of a different race or ethnicity and is playing a different instrument. There is an older gentleman playing the guitar, a women playing the cello, a young boy playing a ukulele, a man playing the saxophone, a young girl playing the violin and an older man playing a drum. Each person is illuminated by vibrant colors behind them in shades of blue, purple, green, red and orange. The people are all clearly separated but are also connected by lines from sheet music in the background.
Not many cities can say that they have 16 massive and magnificent murals that represent real people and real historic backgrounds. At Conn people identify themselves in various ways; whether it is through sports, academics, or clubs, we are all identified as part of the campus community. For New Londoners, this sense of community is found through their individual diversity represented in public art.•
Nice article — Thanks!