The “Tumble” mural on the Brooklyn Public Library’s Cortelyou Road branch won’t be tumbling off the building’s facade anytime soon, city officials said last week.
The cerulean triangles that wrap around the library at Argyle Road painted by Ditmas Park artist Kathryne Hall is such a success with neighborhood residents that library officials plan to leave the artwork up until its eco-friendly paint starts peeling. The mural, which was put up in June, was planned to be power-washed off the building this month, officials said.
“This mural is something new and fresh and we want to keep it as long as possible,” said Brooklyn Public Library spokesman Jason Carey. “Leaving it up to help enliven the branch and the neighborhood is important.”
Hall hopes that the first-of-its-kind library mural, which was funded entirely by community donations solicited through Kickstarter.com, will become permanently affixed to the building.
“My dream would be to have it in ceramic tile, if I can convince the library and get the funding,” said Hall. “There hasn’t been any graffiti on it, which says that everybody likes it.”
Hall pitched her mural idea to library officials in the spring, then painted it with the help of some James Madison High School students.
She’s currently in talks to do murals at other branches, and library officials say they hope to work with more community artists in the future.
“We’re hopeful that it will inspire more projects like this with members of the creative community,” said Carey.
Library regulars said the mural had achieved its main objective — making the formerly drab building more lively.
“We got a lot of good responses when it was first put up,” said one branch librarian. “It really brightens up the exterior.”
Reach reporter Eli Rosenberg at erosenberg@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2531. And follow him at twitter.com/emrosenberg.
