A large-scale public art activation will transform the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall into a living canvas as New York-based artist Kenneth E. Parris III leads Our America in Columbus Park in Downtown Brooklyn.
Running from 10:30am to 7:00pm on May 1, the participatory chalk mural invites Brooklynites of all ages to take part in a collective act of expression centered on belonging and civic presence.
The project is part of Fall of Freedom’s national initiative, which calls on artists to respond to growing concerns about free expression, immigrant rights and civil liberties.
Throughout the day, participants will be encouraged to repeatedly handwrite the line “This land is your land, this land is my land,” building a large-scale typographic mural one contribution at a time. The result will form an evolving visual field shaped by hundreds of individual hands.
“By transforming public space into a site of shared authorship, Our America contributes to a broader movement using art to defend belonging, equity and freedom of expression,” said Parris.
Blending public art, performance and community engagement, the activation reframes the act of writing lines as a shared civic ritual. Chalk, both accessible and temporary, lowers barriers to participation while highlighting the urgency and fragility of democratic expression.
Each handwritten contribution becomes part of a shifting pattern that reflects the diversity of voices moving through the space.
The installation positions public space as a site of shared authorship, where individual expression contributes to a broader collective statement about inclusion and identity.
Event Details:
What: Our America Participatory Chalk Mural
When: May 1| 10:30am – 7:00pm
Where: Brooklyn Borough Hall steps in Columbus Park
Admission: Free and open to the public
Organizers expect participation from artists, students, families and cultural workers, with the project extending beyond the park through documentation across photography, video and social media.
