Artist Ruben Ubiera brings crosswalk art to Salem

The City of Salem is collaborating with community partners and artist Ruben Ubiera on a public art installation. The project will take place at street crossings at Dodge Street and Peabody Street in Salem on Thursday, November 5 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The project will consist of painting two colorful crosswalks in an urban-pop style along the lower Lafayette Street corridor, to add creative feature pieces that allow people to enjoy the rich history and culture of the city.

“We are thrilled to have Ruben come to Salem to paint these crosswalks,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “This effort represents Salem’s commitment to public art, community development, and breaking down barriers between the Point neighborhood and Salem’s downtown.”

"The crosswalk installation will be a unique addition to Salem’s downtown streetscape and a creative way of engaging residents in a conversation about our rich heritage and diversity” said Rosario Ubiera-Minaya, North Shore CDC’s Chief Program Officer.

The installation will be created by Ruben Ubiera, a renowned artist who has been commissioned for murals and other large-scale public art installations around the nation. Ubiera will work with bright colors and detailed designs to create a “Postgraffism” or urban-pop styled piece on the crosswalk between Dodge Street and Peabody Street. Originally from the Dominican Republic, his family moved to Salem when they immigrated to the United States in the 1990’s. A former resident of the Point neighborhood and a graduate from Salem High School, this is Ubiera's first installation in Salem. Ubiera now resides in South Florida.

“My work often engages the community, bringing art to those who might not usually experience art, at the same time that voices my diverse experiences as an immigrant,” writes Ubiera. “A building cannot be raised without a strong foundation, the same goes for a community.”

The crosswalk art installations are funded by Mass Development’s Transformative Development Initiative Placemaking grant program, a competitive grant program that invests in Massachusetts’ Gateway Cities. The City of Salem partnered with the North Shore Community Development Coalition and the Point Neighborhood Association to apply for the grant and have worked together to execute the project. The implementation of this public art project responds directly to actions outlined the Point Neighborhood Vision & Action Plan, which was created by the same partners in 2013 to improve the quality of life in and bring investment to the Point neighborhood.

If you have any questions or would like more information about this project, please contact the City of Salem’s Department of Planning and Community Development at (978) 619-5685.