New mural celebrates the ‘herstories’ of Sunset Park

Talk about painting the town.

Artist Vaimoana Niumeitolu’s latest project, a mural called “We Come from the Future,” was unveiled on Saturday, August 29 at Turning Point Brooklyn, a non-profit social services organization based in Sunset Park.

The mural is the latest in Niumeitolu’s repertoire and, according to those at Turning Point Brooklyn, “celebrates the richly diverse cultural expressions of love and nurturance, and the power of possibility, as seen through the eyes of women” of the Sunset Park community.

“With this mural, we will be working with immigrant and indigenous communities in Sunset Park,” said the artist. “We will be working with grandmothers, mothers, and their daughters in creating a public and permanent mural that honors their ‘herstories,’ their lives, their families, and Sunset Park.”

Her objective, she said, was to give the culturally and ethnic diverse residents of Sunset an opportunity to celebrate and “own their public spaces and stories.”
Its placing, of course, has a similar significance.

“We are thrilled that Moana has chosen clients of Turning Point Brooklyn to work with her on this project,” said Turning Point Brooklyn Executive Director Tata Traore-Rogers. “This has provided an invaluable opportunity for the women of our community to find healing and self-actualization through artistic expression. The mural will also create a welcoming and beautiful new façade to the building that serves as our main office.”

The organization serves some of the borough’s most marginalized and underserved individuals and families – from the homeless to at-risk youth, and everyone in between.
Niumeitolu extended her thanks to Turning Point Brooklyn as well as to The Dedalus Foundation, for providing the workspace and covering the costs of materials, and to UPROSE, who referred the mural’s participating family to the project.

Turning Point Brooklyn is located at 5220 Fourth Avenue.

BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Corazon Aguirre