BALTIMORE — An artist in Baltimore got a makeover on one of his pieces located at the intersection of North and Asquith.
It's an update that sheds light on the issue of skin health in the community, with help from the national brand Vaseline.
Murals run throughout Baltimore, making it an essential part of the skin of the city. For one artist, it goes deeper.
"For me, I think it highlights the lived experiences of the folks who are traditionally from those neighborhoods,” said Ernest Shaw, a Baltimore-based artist. “Ways in which we live, ways of knowing, cultural meaning making that still exists, that's right there, that suggests that we're still an African people culturally.”
It's how Shaw described his original mural painted in 2001, called 'African in America'. A piece of his work, he said, was time for an update. Great timing, as he was recommended to Vaseline’s new initiative called ‘Mended Murals.’
"Both the location of the mural and what Ernest kind of stands for in his art,” said Tiffany Yizar, the Senior Director of Research & Development at Unilever.
Artists across the county shed light on the importance of caring for skin of color through art restoration.
"The murals that we partnered with are ones that are showing skin," said Yizar. “To close in health equity gap realizing that there are different communities with different levels of access to an education about skin, especially skin of color.”
Shaw and Vaseline agreed to the update of his artwork.
"There were a few things that I had to push back on because when you talk about people defined as black, our skin tones. What colors should be used to illustrate the different skin tones,” said Shaw.
Shaw painted over the original mural, taking three weeks to complete, and aged the piece two decades, giving a modern look to the neighborhood.
"Two young men we call squeegee workers who work just a few blocks from the mural, I chose to depict them as a 20-year iteration of the two young men in the mural,” said Shaw.
Maturing the African mother in the painting, "Our need to cultivate the younger generation never stops," and expanding the drummer’s hands "To emphasize the natural rhythm of things and the natural rhythm of the universe," said Shaw.
Not only is the mural given a new look, but through a QR code in the corner of the piece, people can connect to resources and tools that address skin concerns.
Vaseline donated $250,000 to health clinics in cities where artwork is restored.
