The Gift Around the Corner: A Mending Wall
There’s nothing like an unexpected gift. A Tiny Adventure is as easy as walking down an unfrequented path. With wonders in store ….
It all started with chastising myself - “Brookie - you need to check your PO Box! When does the Post Office close for lunch?” (I admittedly talk to myself a bit). Closes at 1 pm, so I need to get going.
Luckily, the Post Office is a 10-minute walk. No problem. I started the afternoon pleased with my openness to a new path. Instead of the shops and restaurants along Brookland Park Boulevard, I chose the peaceful neighborhood streets.
The Post Office visit was unremarkable, but oh, what came after...
I walked out of the Post Office and looked across the street. Of course, I noticed Michaela’s Bakery. My sweet tooth intuitively detects such delights.
But, what about Manchu Take Out down the street on the intersecting road? Ooohh, I only went once before the pandemic, and I was a happy happy woman! And, of course, I could see the library on the same street. I still needed a card.
I did it. I crossed the street and chose that direction, instead of my well-worn path home.
Then, WOW!!!!!
As I walked towards Manchu’s, I saw it on the right. The gift. A massive expression of art and community - all along the side of a long building. It dominated the entire block. The mural was not noticeable from the main street - I absolutely needed to walk down North Ave to see it.
I stopped in my tracks, overcome with awe. Vibrant pink. A gorgeous, determined, and present, African American woman. She holds a bullhorn with great ease, a natural leader surrounded by birds and flowers. Powerful and entrancing. Unabashedly feminine.
This public art was not quite finished - I could see a particular ladder on the far end.
I reluctantly departed, first checking out the library. Standing on the library sidewalk, I could continue my obsession with the mural’s power from a distance. I talked about it with the gentleman who wandered over to enjoy the tree’s shade. I never even left the sidewalk — curbside service.
Next, to Manchu Take Out. The folks who own it are a Vietnamese-American family who chose to move to Richmond, Va, from New Orleans. The waiting area explodes with Mardi Gras decor.
Manchu is one of those places where you feel like a rock star because you discovered it. And, you feel great pride because they chose your neighborhood as home. Because it’s so darn awesome.
The take-out experience made my heart sing! Many people are CLEARLY regulars at Manchu. The customers and staff call each other by name, asking about their families. When the gentleman called me by name several times, I felt like part of the club!
But, wait, there’s more. Much more.
Finished with my errands, I could commune with the “Bad Ass Woman” mural. (That’s a made-up name - hopefully no offense to the artists).
This time, I could see an artist on the special ladder. Again, I froze.
Should I keep walking? Would I bother her? Isn’t she working? Would it be rude?
The adventurer in me said - “just do it.”
And what a story! I met the artist, Austin (“Auz”) Miles. She embraced taking a break and sharing her energy of community with me. Austin explained that the “Mending Walls” initiative sponsors this spell-binding art.
The artist is not a stranger to my neighborhood. Austin recently finished another mural around the corner for a different project, also celebrating the Black female experience, which states, “BECAUSE I CAN.”
I asked Austin about the future of our powerful neighborhood addition - will there be a celebration? She explained that an informal “teaching session” occurred last week by the mural. And hopefully, this public art will inspire more gatherings (social distanced), meaningful connections, and community energy.
And, with that, walking down a different street changed my life.
Once home, I did more research. The “Mending Walls” project pairs artists from different cultures to tell a collaborative story through a public art medium. Austin's partner is Nico Cathcart, who frequently incorporates birds into her work to represent her progressing deafness.
“Mending Walls” strives to use public art to explore our understanding of racial justice and Black Lives Matter. The project comes from a healing perspective, seeking to inspire awareness and connection that tells a story through public art.
“Get comfortable in the uncomfortable.” Simply walking down a new road can direct you to yet another. Tiny adventures beget more tiny adventures. And that’s how we grow.
