VOA标准英语2012--Murals Brighten Baltimore Neighborhood

Murals Brighten Baltimore Neighborhood

Sam came from South Africa to participate in the program known as Open Walls. He’s painted murals across the world. “I get to learn about the world through painting art. If I came here as a tourist, I would never have seen Baltimore the way I saw it painting a mural.”

In fact, few tourists see this neighborhood, known as Station North. It fell on hard luck decades ago. But 10 years ago, it was designated an arts and entertainment district.

Ben Stone, executive director of the Station North district, hopes the murals will attract more visitors. “Penn Station, our main train station, is in the district, so it's an easy area to get to, and this is another reason to come here.”

Station North is also home to artists like Gaia. He’s curating Open Walls. “I wanted to choose people that weren’t necessarily the brightest stars, but were doing remarkable¹ work throughout the world.”

Like Interesni Kazki, a duo from Ukraine. Their mural features a fantasy walled city painted in bright yellow, red and orange. Individually the artists are known as Oleksii Bordusov and Vladimir Manzhos. 

“We started from traditional graffiti, letters,” Manzhos says. But he adds, they eventually wanted to paint more. “It is not interesting to paint just letters, because you cannot tell more than just your name.”

Other participants in Open Walls, including Freddy Sam, also got started as graffiti artists. But Gaia began his career putting up original posters on abandoned buildings. The detailed² black-and-white prints feature animals.

The mural he painted for Open Walls depicts³ a pigeon cradled in a giant left hand. Around the corner of the building is the right hand, with three fingers curled and the index finger stroking the bird’s breast.

“I love it,” says William, a lifelong resident of Station North, who raises pigeons. “It also has a sense of peace. And if you look at the other side, it has a sense of giving.”

Ultimately, more than 20 murals will color the neighborhood. The government is financing the program along with a privately⁴ held bank in a bid to revive the neighborhood. 

“We are also looking to increase investment in the area,” says Stone. “That could be people wanting to buy homes here, rent homes here, open businesses here.”

Vander Pearson opened his flower shop in Station North 30 years ago. He hopes new people will move in. 

"I try to keep different things in, statues and different little flowers and things people would like to buy and plant in their back yard or hang on their porch,” he says.

But there are plenty of vacant homes alongside ones that have been renovated⁵. 

"The city, for better or for worse, is a canvas, because we have 45,000 abandoned buildings in this metropolitan⁶ area,” says Gaia. “Development can be swift or slow." 

In the meantime, the murals are bringing attention to a neighborhood that has been overlooked but is focused on a brighter future.

1 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

2 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

3 depicts   

描绘，描画( depict的第三人称单数 )； 描述

参考例句：

• The book vividly depicts French society of the 1930s. 这本书生动地描绘了20 世纪30 年代的法国社会。
• He depicts the sordid and vulgar sides of life exclusively. 他只描写人生肮脏和庸俗的一面。

4 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

5 renovated   

翻新，修复，整修( renovate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He renovated his house. 他翻修了房子。
• The house has been renovated three years earlier. 这所房子三年前就已翻新。

6 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。