Gowanus just got a vibrant new heartbeat! 🎨 Local youth artists and community leaders have unveiled a stunning mural that tells a powerful story of activism, history, and hope. What hidden messages do you think this incredible public art installation holds for the neighborhood’s future?

A vibrant new chapter in Brooklyn’s rich cultural tapestry has been etched into the Gowanus landscape with the unveiling of “The Heartbeat of Gowanus,” a monumental public art installation born from a profound collaboration between local youth artists and dedicated community leaders.

This transformative project, a testament to collective action and artistic expression, saw the Groundswell Community Mural Project partner with the Fifth Avenue Committee, culminating in a powerful visual narrative at the FAC Center for Community Development on August 22, 2025.

Designed by lead artists Kristy McCarthy and Yolande Delius, this significant Brooklyn mural was brought to life by 13 talented youth artists from Groundswell’s esteemed Voices Her’d Visionaries program, working hand-in-hand with local residents, leaders, and passionate advocates.

Kristy McCarthy, Lead Teaching Artist at Groundswell, articulated the mural’s core message, stating it “visualizes the harmful environmental and social impacts of racial capitalism, while championing the wins of local community activists and highlighting the power that lies within women-led, grassroots organizing and collective action,” underscoring its pivotal role in promoting environmental justice.

The creators’ profound hope for this public art installation is to immortalize the deep-rooted history of activism within the Gowanus community and to ignite an inspiring vision for a future defined by communal strength, equitable practices, and a harmonious relationship with the natural world.

Months of rigorous community research, invaluable oral histories, and engaging workshops with vital neighborhood groups, including the Gowanus Neighborhood Coalition for Justice and NYCHA organizers, meticulously informed the mural’s intricate design and narrative, solidifying its roots in authentic community activism.

Visually, the mural is a celebration of hope and resilience, featuring elements such as fish gracefully navigating clean waters, modern solar panels, lush rooftop gardens, and a tugboat named “moving through the canal beneath a burst of color,” symbolizing progress and environmental renewal.

At its heart, two silhouetted figures dance in jubilant celebration, encircled by poignant scenes of Brooklyn community life, with each youth artist contributing unique motifs, from indigenous plants to cultural symbols, weaving a diverse and intricate tapestry within this expansive youth art project.

Michelle de la Uz, executive director of the Fifth Avenue Committee, eloquently summarized the project’s essence, affirming that “the mural is a testament to the power of collective action and steadfast belief that we all deserve to live with dignity and respect in communities that are thriving, healthy and inclusive.”