The exhibition, Dream Murals: Public Art with Hartford Art School Alumni, creates an opportunity for artists to share the transformative power of public art with the next generation of artists at the Hartford Art School. The entire mural painting process is open to the public through April 12, and visitors are encouraged to come by often to track the artists’ progress. On Friday, April 4, artist talks and a reception sponsored by the University of Hartford’s Alumni Advisory Council will be held from 4 p.m.–6 p.m.
Featured artists include Peter Albano, Lindaluz Carrillo, Vaughn Fender, Sophie Groenstein, Chris Piascik, and Sophy Tuttle. Each artist will be paired with a current student mentee, who will learn how to scale artwork to the size of a wall.
The artists, who hail from diverse artistic and social backgrounds, will explore a variety of topics in their murals. From autobiography to social justice issues and spray paint to three-dimensional installations, the imagery, style, and scope of each work promises to be unique, offering a broad view of contemporary approaches to mural art. The murals will be painted on panels, and at the end of the exhibition, the artists will be able to take their work with them for potential reinstallation at other venues.
The University will also use this exhibition as an opportunity to honor the legacy of beloved Hartford muralist and former student of the Hartford Art School, Tao LaBossiere (1968–2024). In the gallery, visitors will find a slideshow of LaBossiere’s contributions to public art in the Greater Hartford area.
The exhibition and associated programming are made possible with funds held by Hartford Art School Endowment, Inc. and the Alumni Advisory Council at the University of Hartford.