La Lucha Continua: Homage to Eva Cockcroft
LA LUCHA CONTINUA: HOMAGE TO EVA COCKCROFT
Groundswell Community Mural Project ©
www.groundswellmural.org
Acrylic on Brick
10 x 32 Ft
2002
Artists: Janet Braun-Reinitz, Rikki Asher, Wong Dowling, Noah Jemisin, Camille Perrottet, Amy Sananman, Rochelle Shicoff, Tova Snyder, Jane Weissman and other artists and community volunteers.
Location: 37 Avenue B (& East 3rd Street), East Village, NYC
Community Partners: Artmakers, Inc; Lower East Side People's Federal Credit Union
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Groundswell, Artmakers, Inc, and the Lower East Side People's Federal Credit Union teamed up to create a mural to honor the memory of Eva Cockcroft and celebrate community mural making in New York from the 1970's through the present, and into the future. The mural was created during the weekend of the 28 and 29 of September and commemorates the work of the famous muralist Eva Cockcroft, author of the La Lucha Mural series and whose work adorned many Lower East Side buildings, depicting the struggle and history of this community of immigrants as it evolved from urban decay in the late 70's to revival in the 90s.
The collectively designed and painted mural contains elements of the work of Eva Cockcroft while referencing the history of the Loisaida community and the credit union's contribution to the economic development of the neighborhood. The Lower East Side still remains one of the most financially underserved areas in New York City. As is usually the case with areas underserved by traditional banks, there is also a high concentration of check cashiers and pawnshops. In addition, in recent years, the neighborhood has experienced rapid gentrification, with all the disparities and inequities that this causes to its long-term residents. Within this context, LESPFCU plays a critical role. The credit union is a member-owned, non-profit financial institution that reinvests its members' money in the Lower East Side to provide a full-range of affordable financial services to this community. Since it's opening in 1986, LESPFCU has lent over $10 million and provided services to more than 11,000 primarily low-income residents of the Lower East Side.
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