About the Project 

Light of the Northeast is a design collaboration between Paul Santoleri and Abdul Karim Awad. The design, centered on the figure of the Statue of Liberty, pays tribute to the meaning of liberty: that we are free to love – each other, our ideas, ourselves, the place we live, and the place we came from.

The band of the Statue’s crown features the word “love” translated into 25 languages and painted by Awad as a frieze tribute to the Freedom Monument, a prominent and beloved piece of public art in Baghdad by Jawad Saleem.

The building where the mural is installed is formerly a Singer factory, and has a tower on the lefthand side. Paul Santoleri created a glass mosaic torch for this tower.

The mural is based out of the Northeast Passage storefront, where Porch Light collaborates with Oxford Circle Christian Community Development Association to offer free art and wellness programming out of their storefront. 50 Spruance Elementary School students participated in art workshops to contribute to the mural design.