World-Renowned Artist, Maya Hayuk, Makes Her Mark on the Northern Kentucky Convention Center with New Mural

New mural, “Kentucky Gateway,” inspired by quilting traditions

 

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COVINGTON, Ky. (October 2, 2024) – World-renowned artist, Maya Hayuk, completed a new mural, “Kentucky Gateway,” on the west-end of the Northern Kentucky Convention Center on Tuesday, October 1. The artist was also featured at an event hosted at The Carnegie on Monday, September 30 where she spoke to attendees about her creative journey, the inspiration for her work and took questions from attendees.

"When I get an invitation to start a piece, I immediately look at the location on a map and begin to do a little research about the history of the region," said Hayuk during her appearance at The Carnegie. "Kentucky is not far from the origin of the quilting traditions in Gee's Bend, Alabama where the pieces were created from scraps with spirals like what's incorporated in ‘Kentucky Gateway.’ Quilting works currently being made here in the region are symbolic and utilitarian and almost always made by women. I've learned so much about this place since I've been here, like the German heritage and the current immigration patterns in relation to my ancestors’ immigration patterns, who ended up in Northeast Ohio."

Hayuk also spoke about the color palette of the mural. "I start every piece with the idea of general CMYK. In this piece it's yellow and blues crossing over red and black. In some of my other pieces the transparencies between each strip of color take place organically when we paint over them. On a scale like this it's really a paint-by-numbers approach that's where the magic happens."

Hayuk is an internationally renowned Ukrainian-American artist born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland with an independent studio practice in Brooklyn, N.Y. Hayuk is known for murals that transform public spaces with their dynamic energy and immersive visual experience, fostering a sense of community and wonder. Her art has been exhibited in prestigious galleries worldwide, and her murals can be found in cities across the globe, including “Chemtrails NYC” at the Bowery Wall.

“Creative placemaking projects not only boost our region’s appeal as a destination for meetings, conventions and tourists, they also instill pride in our residents,” said meetNKY President and CEO, Julie Kirkpatrick. “Our region is known for its stunning mural installations and ability to put on world-class art experiences, such as BLINK. We look forward to many more stunning public art works going up around our Northern Kentucky communities, thanks to our continued partnership with ArtsWave.”

Creative placemaking has become a focus of meetNKY this year to enhance cultural vibrancy and engagement through the arts in Northern Kentucky. Most recently, meetNKY worked with ArtsWave to help create and partially fund a new role, Director of Northern Kentucky Creative Placemaking.

“Watching Maya’s artwork take shape over the last few days has been a dream,” said Rachael Parker, Director of Northern Kentucky Creative Placemaking for ArtsWave. “The vibrant colors and patterns that are signature for her works echo the same vibrancy reflected in our communities along the Northern Kentucky side of the river.”

The mural project is funded by meetNKY, the Northern Kentucky Visitors Bureau, with support from ArtsWave and Parker, along with project curation by Covington-based creative consulting agency, BLDG.

“We are always excited to work with meetNKY and ArtsWave and thrilled for the opportunity to bring the world-class art of Maya Hayuk to Covington. Her piece will be yet another signal to the region and the country that Northern Kentucky is a place of extraordinary creative energy,” said BLDG Founder and President Jay Becker.

Hayuk and her team donated leftover supplies from the mural project to Art Equals, a nonprofit organization empowering everyone to be an artist by providing community-driven accessible opportunities for creative growth and healing.

To learn more about meetNKY, visit meetNKY.com. For more information on ArtsWave and their mission, visit artswave.org. To learn more about BLDG Brands visit bldgbrands.com. To learn more about Maya Hayuk and her works, visit mayahayuk.com.

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About meetNKY:
meetNKY drives quality of life and economic growth for Northern Kentucky through tourism marketing and destination development. Learn more at www.meetNKY.com.

About BLDG Brands:
BLDG is a creative consultancy of strategists, designers, and pragmatic artists who map creative solutions to complex problems, helping clients solve their trickiest challenges and reach their wildest potential. Started in 2012, BLDG has been critical in bringing world-class artists to the region, including The London Police, VHILS, Shepard Fairey and many more. Although our business has shifted to more consulting, we still relish the opportunity to work with artists. Learn more about us at bldgbrands.com