Buford Highway has a new landmark, a vibrant and colorful mural reflecting the diverse community of Doraville. The mural, painted by Atlanta artist Leah Abucayan, is a part of a larger partnership between businesses, like Halpern Enterprises, Inc., and the City of Doraville to bring new and exciting public art to Buford Highway.
Matthew Oppenheimer, Director of Acquisitions at Halpern Enterprises, Inc. said, “After seeing the impact murals have had in other communities, we jumped at the chance to bring a mural to Pinetree Plaza when we learned about Doraville’s new public art ordinance. We saw the mural as an opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity along Buford Highway through the lens of the different cuisines represented along the corridor,” Oppenheimer went on to say, “It has already been so gratifying to see the way people are embracing the mural, and to see the meaning people are finding in the images. Whether it be people identifying their favorite foods along Buford Highway, to others reflecting on the role these dishes and this corridor played in their family’s journey as immigrants to this country, this mural represents so much of what makes this community a special place.”
Leah’s design reflects more than just the diverse community of Buford Highway, it has a personal connection as well. Growing up, Leah and her family enjoyed a traditional Filipino meal, kamayan, during the holidays. Kamayan is a communal style meal that is laid out atop banana leaves. This meal serves as the foundation of the mural’s design. But instead of being topped with only Filipino foods the mural reflects the diverse offerings of the area with foods like tamales, empanadas, naan, gyros, bao, and ramen. This special and uniquely personal design is what inspired Halpern Enterprises to select Leah as their first muralist.
Partnerships:
Halpern Enterprises, Inc. believes in the power of arts and culture to inspire creativity and spark collaboration. Without the integral partnerships of The City of Doraville, Living Walls, and We Love Buford Highway the beautifully designed mural, and the enormous community engagement, would not have been possible. Public art has the power to reshape the way people experience spaces, and Halpern has seen this firsthand with the Pinetree Plaza mural.
Community Mural Celebration Event:
Join us at Pinetree Plaza on July 9 from 10:30am – 12noon.
Halpern Enterprises is hosting a large community event to celebrate the mural milestone.
Event highlights include:
- Ribbon Cutting from Mayor
- Authentic food flavors from Buford Highway
- Art supplies for families from Doraville Art Association (DArt)
- Scavenger hunt
- COVID vaccination trailer from Dekalb Health
- Art showcase from Chamblee High School Students
- And much more
Art Continues:
Halpern Enterprises, Inc. will be participating in the City of Doraville BuHi Walk Crosswalk Project which will span 2.5 miles throughout the corridor.
Stay tuned. The project will be starting in August 2022.