Artist Richard Haas Adds to His Collection of Murals in Downtown Yonkers
L-R: Artist Daniel Bonilla; Yonkers Councilmember Tasha Diaz; Yonkers Council Majority Whip Deana Norman; New York Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins; Artist Richard Haas; Artist Robin Alcantara; Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano; Macquesten Development Executive Vice President Joseph Apicella. Photo Credit: Maurice Mercado/City of Yonkers
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today joined artist Richard Haas, Yonkers artists and members of the Yonkers community to unveil the newest public mural in the Yonkers downtown waterfront district titled “Yonkers Past & Present.” Located on the building façade at 35 Main St. and Warburton Ave., the mural depicts the diverse history of Yonkers, including iconic locations such as Yonkers City Hall, Philipse Manor Hall, Untermyer Gardens as well as famous Yonkers natives such as rapper DMX.
“‘Yonkers Past and Present’ is more than a work of art — it’s a vibrant reminder of who we are and where we’re going,” said Mayor Spano. “Richard Haas has captured the spirit of our city and the resilience of our community with extraordinary vision. This installation not only honors Yonkers’ rich history but also reflects the energy and momentum driving our city forward today. We are proud to welcome this striking new image to our downtown district.”
Designed by renowned artist Richard Haas and painted by Robin Alcantara, “Yonkers Past & Present” features locations in the City of Yonkers and an assortment of churches and public buildings. In the foreground of the right panel is an image of hip-hop artist and Yonkers native DMX rapping in front of the Yonkers train station. In the lower corner, Haas references old Yonkers trolleys as well as the brewery business. The upper middle panel includes bay windows, which create an illusion of depth and unite the two arched features which depict historical content. Philipse Manor Hall is illustrated in the upper left panel, which stands a block from the mural itself. Below one sees the original Saw Mill, a native American, a freed black slave, and a woman purchasing cockles.
Haas previously designed and painted three murals on Warburton Avenue. Richard Haas commented, “This new mural addresses, in part, the long history of our city originally depicted in the three-part mural series designed in the late 1990s.”
Haas has completed more than 100 outdoor and indoor mural projects, in public and private spaces, beginning in the early 1970s in New York City. He was the first artist in the United States to use architect architectural trompe l’oeil elements in his compositions. The painter of the mural, Robin Alcantara, is a Yonkers native and has previously created murals of other Yonkers notables, such as Ella Fitzgerald and Mary J. Blige.
The mural was commissioned as part of a community benefit package from Macquesten Development, LLC, which is developing The St. Clair, a 76-unit affordable housing complex on Main Street that will include commercial space.
“Macquesten Development is pleased to work in partnership with the City of Yonkers and world class muralist Richard Haas to produce a beautiful historic mural at the Gateway to the downtown waterfront,” said Joseph Apicella, Macquesten Development.
Photos by Donna Davis
