Beyond Walls, Artist Ruben Ubiera meet with Mayor Joshua García and members of the community to discuss ‘gorilla’ mural.

Artist Ruben Ubiera, along with Al Wilson, Beyond Walls founder and CEO, met with Mayor Joshua García and several members of the community, to discuss the multiple aspects of representation, and history, that are to be included at the mural Ruben is creating at the Holyoke Health Center.

This community group, representing different racial and ethnic backgrounds, was composed of Holyoke residents, business owners, agency leaders, city head departments, and city councilors.

This conversation helped to bring a better understanding of the massive ‘gorilla’ mural Ubiero is creating, and allowed for a fruitful exchange of opinions, suggestions, and mutual learning about the art, the elements that tell a story, and the way a community can come together through this public art.

In the end, not only was a celebratory feeling about the project, it was decided how to name the gorilla. Ruben’s piece is on the side wall of the Holyoke Health Center at 230 Maple Street in Downtown Holyoke.

To see more about the work Beyond Walls brought to Holyoke during the 2023 Street Art Tour, you can visit: https://beyondwalls.org