A local artist’s plans to restore and add to an anti-violence mural in Homewood are set to begin Tuesday on the heels of Juneteenth celebrations and in response to recent shootings in the city.
The mural, located in the 500 block of North Homewood Avenue underneath an overpass, is a “reminder to all to stop gun violence” and promote peace in the city, according to organizers. In part, the painting has a colorful backdrop with men and women dressed in white robes, their hands lifted in prayer.
The mural was first painted by Kyle Holbrook, Maghail Sahara and Ernest Bey in 2007. Mr. Holbrook alone will restore the painting on Tuesday, he said.
“It’s all a part of an international campaign I’m doing to spread peace around the world,” Mr. Holbrook, of Penn Hills, said Monday. “Being home where I’ve lost 45 friends since my childhood, this is really personal and important for me. My uncle fought in Vietnam, and he has lost less people. Isn’t that crazy?”
Two men were shot Friday on the evening of Juneteenth near the mural in the 7100 block of Frankstown Avenue, according to Pittsburgh police. Both were hospitalized in stable condition.
On June 10, a 6-year-old child was shot in the abdomen in the 1000 block of Lawndale Street in Homewood — right around the corner from the mural, Mr. Holbrook said. The child was taken to the hospital in critical condition, police said. Her current status is unknown.
“It’s crazy that the issues are still the same; there’s still all this gun violence going on, so it’s relevant and important that I brighten it up and add some new images that may be more overt,” Mr. Holbrook said. “We’re going to add a stop sign that says, ‘Stop gun violence.’ Stop signs are made to draw attention by their bright red essence, so nobody can miss the message in case they didn’t get it before.”
In addition to adding a stop sign to the mural, Mr. Holbrook said he will add more patterns and additional bright imagery, as well as a white dove to represent peace.
The mural is sponsored by the Moving Lives of Kids Community Mural Project.
Lacretia Wimbley: lwimbley@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1510 or on Twitter @Wimbleyjourno.
First Published: June 21, 2021, 5:10 p.m.
Updated: June 22, 2021, 9:44 a.m.