New Arts Collaborative Medford mural blends migration, nature and community

By Sangmin Song

A new mural celebrating unity and migration has taken shape on Mystic Avenue, where Arts Collaborative Medford finished a large-scale work depicting people, animals and ecosystems coexisting in a shared future.

The artwork, painted on the front and side walls of 162 Mystic Ave., was unveiled at a public reception on Nov. 22.

The mural was created by Andres Duarte, the Mystic River Watershed Association’s artist-in-residence. Duarte, who works under the artist name Nxn, said he studied the Mystic River and the seasonal movement of wildlife before finalizing the concept.

“We focused on migration as an act of nature,” Duarte said. “We began to learn more about what is happening in the Mystic River, and we figured out that the migration of the herring fish is so important for the other animals and the equilibrium of the environment.”

Stretching about 55 feet across two exterior walls, the mural blends migrating species with local animals — foxes, birds and trees — arranged to show how all living things share space. The central figure, a warrior standing with a rabbit at its side, anchors that message.

“Humans need to be like warriors, and we wanted the kind of warrior that works with the animals,” Duarte said. “It’s a symbol of working together with nature, fighting for unity and for a better environment.”

For ACM Director Regina Parkinson, the project came together unusually quickly. When she and Duarte began discussing the mural, they realized the fall weather window was closing and decided to move fast to get the painting underway.

“We knew we were up against a weather deadline, and Andres said the last possible week he could paint was the week that he painted,” Parkinson said. “I trusted his vision so much that I didn’t think we needed much turnaround time for board approval, and everyone loved it right away.”

Duarte completed the painting in five days with fellow artist Erre, who worked alongside him on the wall and helped design the imagery and stencils. Although the painting was completed fast, the team spent far longer cutting more than 100 stencils used to transfer animals and shapes onto the surface.

“We liked to do longer sessions because there’s excitement, and we wanted to keep that kind of momentum,” Duarte said. “The stencil helped us do the labor faster, but the labor before the painting process was a lot as we used more than 150 stencils.”

Duarte said he has been struck by how many passersby have already stopped to comment on the imagery and message. He said hopes residents will see the wall as a symbol of belonging, whether they have lived in Medford for decades or arrived recently.

“You could be from different parts, but with art you can bring the community together,” he said.

Parkinson said the mural arrives at a moment when Medford is seeing new cultural activity alongside long-established traditions. She believes the work reflects a forward-looking chapter in the city’s identity.

“A lot of walls in Medford are capable of holding awesome art and we are a city that has a lot of older roots and status quo,” she said. “This piece shows a bright future for residents who believe Medford is for all of us.”

The mural will remain in place for the duration of ACM’s long-term lease at the site. Parkinson said the organization plans to continue expanding public art on and around the building, contributing more to Medford’s art culture.

“Public art is incredibly important toward shaping how people feel about themselves in the city and how people feel when they come to a city,” Parkinson said. “I can’t even begin to underscore the importance of things like this.”

Sangmin Song is a senior journalism student. This story is part of a partnership between Gotta Know Medford and the Boston University Department of Journalism.