As the first bank in Red Hook in over 10 years, we entered the neighborhood knowing that we wanted to build trust with residents. In addition to activating a mission-driven team, we also wanted to use an art piece to convey our mission and connect with the Red Hook community for years to come.
We are so glad we met Artolution and Karena Bravo, the amazing muralist and illustrator who led the design and production of our mural at our Red Hook branch alongside three young local artists. A community-based organization, Artolution provides the infrastructure and funding necessary for artists in marginalized communities to lead their own community-based art programs for children, youth, and families. The organization began a decade ago when founders Joel Bergner and Dr. Max Frieder circled the globe to promote positive social change through individual art projects in conflict-affected communities. Joel and Max met artists across Syria, Brazil, and many other countries and were inspired to help them reach their full potential as changemakers.
“We train artists and educators in different refugee camps, conflict zones, and host communities on how to do large scale public arts programming. We do all kinds of programs on fashion, puppetry, performance, and dance all over the globe. We’ve got about 250 teaching artists around the world,” Max tells us. “We also have a big team in New York and were happy to hear about this opportunity to collaborate with Spring Bank because financial literacy and advocacy is a big part of our work.”
Since its inception, Artolution has trained and certified over 120 community artists globally, served over 10,000 participants in over 35 countries, and set up year-round programs in Uganda, Bangladesh, Jordan, Colombia, and the United States.
With the help of Dr. Max Frieder, we were introduced to Karena Bravo, a multidisciplinary artist from Colombia whose work celebrates the diversity of women and their unique experiences. Her background is in graphic design, but she’s been creating beautiful art pieces through different art mediums for the past 11 years. Before moving to New Jersey, Karena worked in Australia and Spain, where she further developed her artistic skills and grew her extensive portfolio. She has always loved painting murals and officially began her professional career as a muralist in 2021, motivated by her desire to focus on public art.
“I chose murals because I want people to see my work on a bigger scale. When you create public art, everyone can be involved and have access to your art,” Karena emphasizes.
Previously, Artolution led a large-scale public art mural for the New York City Housing Authority in Red Hook, which added to our excitement about working together.. Our mural took four days to complete, with Karena leading the project and involving local young artists to paint and help construct it.
Our goal for the mural was to create a welcoming branch experience and embody our mission—symbolized by the metaphor of a seed growing into a tree, reflecting the journey of savings and financial empowerment. Karena went above and beyond, harnessing her talents, our recommendations, and the lived experiences of the young artists to create a meaningful work of art.
“The symbolism with the hands is having this seed that is growing into something that is bigger and bigger. I wanted to show the importance of protecting what we have. If you take care of it, it can grow,” explains Karena.
The mural speaks to us in so many ways. For one, it’s a message to our prospective customers. We value their financial futures and believe in helping them sustainably grow with a bank that truly cares about financial inclusion and wellness. We want the Red Hook community to know that we’re here to help them grow, serving as a partner in their financial journey from seed to tree. Ultimately, we’re growing together and look forward to becoming a trusted banking partner in the Red Hook community.
“The Spring Bank team wanted something colorful that represented the Red Hook community. That’s why we included ideas from the youth artists, and then I created a second mock-up which also reflected the industrial look of Red Hook.,” says Karena.
Throughout this journey, we learned that art is a process and took our time to understand how we can connect with the Red Hook community. Karena worked with a total of three young artists to understand what inspired them about Red Hook, ultimately using that as inspiration for the mural. We’re so grateful for Karena’s expertise and for her work with local youth. She created a mural design that resonates with both the Red Hook community and our mission.
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We appreciate the entire Artolution team and their dedication to helping us deliver our vision. Learn more about them here. It was an honor to work with an artist like Karena, and we’re so glad we could involve the Red Hook community in the process.
Pictures don’t do this mural justice, so be sure to stop by our Red Hook branch at 356 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn, NY 11231, to see it in person and learn more about our banking solutions! We’re here for you, whether you’re looking for a personal checking account, lending options, or a business bank account..