Inside passageway wall and focal wall by fare vending vestibule.

Homage to a Community I & II, 2002
Andrew Reid and Carlos Alves
Acrylic on aluminum panels, Terra Cotta tiles
I: 130' l x 6' h
II: 30' l x 7' h

The murals designed by muralist Andrew Reid and ceramist Carlos Alverez illustrate the rich history and character of the Georgia Avenue Petworth neighborhood.

The long mural flows from right to left, engaging passengers upon entering the station and taking them on a symbolic journey through time before they embark on their daily commute.  It depicts the community's local landmarks and historic references including Griffith Stadium, Howard University, Fort Stevens, Duke Ellington, and others. Incorporated into these references are symbols of national and global events that impacted the neighborhood such as World Wars I and II, the civil rights movement, and immigration. Significant people and events of everyday life are also featured. The images of residents of the neighborhood are also included in the mural as people at work, children, people at play, vendors, and commuters. The flowing historic chronology is also evoked through a gradual increase in color – from earthy tones to the full range of vivid color.

A second more abstract companion mural, made from handmade clay and cracked tile,  provides a counterpoint to the historic narrative mural. Occupying the focal wall, this mural is visible from the distance and creates the illusion of a tunnel entrance. It serves the practical purpose of directing passengers toward the trains and identifies the station with traditional mosaic railway lettering. Literally, the 'light at the end of the tunnel' to those passengers walking toward it, the image offers a gateway to the future and an illusion of movement and speed that seems to stretch on for eternity.

The combination of the two murals allows the neighborhood's past, present, and future to come together visually.

Andrew Reid achieved renown as a graphic artist in his native New Zealand and New York before moving to Miami in 1991. Since that time, he has explored a variety of media, including painted and carved murals, sculpture and three-dimensional wall pieces.

Drawing from his Cuban roots and his Miami, Florida upbringing, Carlos Alves works mainly in ceramic, mosaic, metal, and glass. He explores themes that encompass love, hope, history, culture, nature, and a kinship with the sea. He graduated with a BFA from the University of Miami, an MFA from Illinois State University, and received a scholarship to the Lorenzo de' Medici School (Scuola Lorenzo de' Medici) in Florence, Italy.

This project was made possible in part by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.