Artist Alexander Golob wants to weave together the fabric of Haverhill residents in his latest public art project, a mural outside the Washington Street Garibaldi Club—and needs the city’s help to do it.
Commissioned to create a 1600-square-foot piece highlighting Haverhill’s immigrant history, Boston-based Golob isn’t just seeking monetary donations to get his project off the ground. As the artist tells WHAV, Haverhill community members’ ancestral history plays a central role.
Alexander Golob
“The concept behind the mural itself was that we looked at what’s going on in Haverhill right now,” said Golob. “There’s a lot of tension in terms of representation and there’s also a lot of shared humanity and experiences.”
To that end, Golob—who worked alongside City Council Vice President Thomas J. Sullivan to bring the art to Haverhill—plans to take neighbors’ family photographs and paint them into the mural.
Though the project is backed by the Garibaldi Club, Golob seeks submissions from locals of all ethnicities.
“That way it’s about celebrating the Italian culture of the city but also talking about the fabric of Haverhill. We want to make sure everyone’s voices, faces, families and stories are elevated and considered important,” he told WHAV.
The work is done in the style of the Italian Renaissance tile work called maiolica, Golob said, and includes blues and coral hues. Several Haverhill landmarks, including Winnekenni Castle and the Whittier Birthplace, will take center stage on the mural, which is expected to take a month to complete.
Golob and Garibaldi Club representatives hope to raise $9,500 before June 30 to cover installation costs. Golob also seeks volunteers to assist with art-related tasks once the project begins. All funds raised will be matched with a grant from MassDevelopment.
To donate or submit art for consideration, visit Golob’s Patronicity.com page and search for “Haverhill Immigrant Mural.”