Photography by: Creative Collective

Grandma Eve

The woman featured in this mural is actually the artist’s grandmother, an influential figure in Burr’s life. The back story of the playbill in her grandmother’s hand is that is was designed by the Grandma Eve’s husband, Burr’s grandfather, while he was a prisoner of war in the Pacific. During his confinement where the prisoners were building a railroad, he approached his captors and prosed to them the prisoners put on a play to boost morale at the camp. The play was Murder at Sea. The captors agreed, and the artist’s grandfather designed the playbill.

The person on the illustration behind the playbill is Burr’s grandfather.

Helen Burr, Grandma Eve, 2019. Acrylic and latex on stucco, 45 x 45 ft. Public art. ©Helen Burr. All rights reserved.

Of note, the mural is right next to a senior center and it’s common to see people chatting together while viewing the mural, as it reminds people of their loved ones, or a shared story.

Fun fact: This mural is painted with house paint and brushes.

Helen Burr

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The Heart + Soul installation is a retrospective of some of the many murals and pieces of art created by artists in collaboration with Beyond Walls. In the fall of 2020, Beyond Walls presented the street art festival Truth Be Told in Lynn, Massachusetts. The artwork featured in the Truth Be Told festival was born of the COVID-19 pandemic and explores the idiosyncrasies of the times. Heart + Soul is a collection of photographs and digital art examining the interplay between community and art. The subjects and symbols within the works reflect the resilience of the diverse people where they reside. As the photographs celebrate the community, Heart + Soul aims to create space that not only reflects the vibrant diversity of the staff and patient community, but celebrates them.

This collection is the result of generous donations from Mass General Imaging and the MGH Office of Equity and Community Health.

Other work from Heart + Soul