Have you seen the mural on the corner of Old Olden and Toronita Avenues?
After more than a year of planning, the creation of a large outdoor mural, designed to call attention to education discrimination by the government of Iran against thousands of young people of the Bahá'í religious minority, has been completed.
As part of the Education Is Not A Crime project, one of the world’s largest street art and human rights campaigns (www.notacrime.me), the mural’s creation and painting included efforts by high school students and art teachers from both Hamilton West and Steinert, as directed by artist Edward M. Williams of Maryland (thestudio33.com).
The Hamilton Twp. Bahá'í Community was inspired to pursue the mural project by the Education Is Not A Crime campaign initiated in 2015 by journalist Maziar Bahari, who was incarcerated by the Iranian government from June to October in 2009. This worldwide artistic effort began as a way of sharing the plight of young people in Iran who are barred from higher education because of their beliefs, and has since taken on an even broader perspective which includes Iran’s persecution of journalists.
Thanks to the generosity of business owner the Flemming family, and manager Kieran Flemming of Joseph Steinert & Co (countylinepowerequipment.com) at 26 Old Olden Ave, Hamilton, the mural was placed on the building’s prominent wall facing Toronita Avenue. The artwork took about two weeks to complete.
Artist Williams has been nationally published and was awarded “Best of Baltimore” by Baltimore Magazine for decorative artists. He’s created many community murals each year, including those for non-profit organizations which bring together residents contributing to the murals’ creation.
The Student Participation in this effort was approved by the Hamilton Township School District Board of Education which extended the opportunity to volunteer under the supervision of their teachers.
