The Flint Public Art Project’s Executive Director, Joe Schipani, is teaming up with Street Art Specialist, Kady Yellow, CO_labs, and KOBRA Paint to announce a spray paint cultural exchange between Flint, MI and New Orleans, LA called FLINT x NOLA.
What Does It Mean To Bring Two Cities Together?
Both Flint and New Orleans are resilient cities. Each place, respectively, has endured and faced the most challenging times this country has seen. Flint refuses to be known for the police-corruption, post-industrial poverty, and water crisis and New Orleans will forever be music, food and Mardi Gras celebrations instead of gun violence, failed educational systems, and natural disasters. Instead, both cities are resilient and celebrate their vibrant color through the local culture and now, murals and street art. This project is a way to bring attention to the bright and colorful art found in each place and share the talent between the two places.
Schipani and Perry have initiated the art exchange between Flint, Michigan and New Orleans, LA to celebrate the diversity and creativity breeding in both cities. FLINT x NOLA is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen the relationship between the two visual art hubs and elevate the mural arts scene of both places. FLINT x NOLA is leading up to a grand unveiling celebration in October 2019 at the Flint MuralFest (recently featured in the New York Times).
The Artists
Ceaux Young, Jay McKay, and Swan; muralist, painter, and graffiti artist (respectively) were each born, raised, and still making art in Louisiana. The three artists and Kady hopped a flight to Flint, Michigan on August 25th to three larger-than-life murals on one wall, jam style, in the oldest neighborhood in Flint, Carriagetown. The artists were chosen because of their unique ties to the culture of Louisiana and New Orleans, contribution to the mural and graffiti movement, and their decades-long dedication to painting.
The Organizers
“This is a rare and exciting opportunity to celebrate the culture and talent in Flint, MI and New Orleans, LA. Over the past several years, both cities have developed vibrant and exciting street art scenes, and we’re bringing those scenes together for the very first time over two phases. Thanks to a generous support from the Flint Public Art Project, residents of both cities will be able to witness a dynamic exchange/mashup of ideas and styles. Participating artists will paint murals during week-long residencies. For phase one, New Orleans goes to Flint. To start, New Orleans’ own Ceaux Young, Jay Mckay and Swan will each bring over ten years of painting experience to Flint from August 25th-31st. The artists will carry the torch of FPAP’s use of murals as a vehicle for change.” – Kady Perry, Author, New Orleans: Murals, Street Art & Graffiti Vol.1
“This is a program within our larger campaign to put up 100 murals by 2020 and leading up to our International Mural Festival in October. I am not just trying to put up murals. I am putting up Masterpieces. The difference is working with artists who have been painting the street for decades, and that will have the highest impact on the residents and artist in Flint, lifting spirits and re-associating our city from bad water the world-class art, Swan, Jay and Ceuax will certainly add to and support that. When the New Orleans artists came to paint, our community was very inspired by the art they created and color they brought to Carriagetown neighborhood. We welcomed them, shared what is happening on the ground here with a tour or our murals, and shared our local scene in a way that inspired and informed their residency here.” – Joe Schipani, Director, Flint Public Art Project
