Public Art - Table of Contents

Grover Washington, Jr. mural
3037 Bailey Avenue at Davidson Avenue, Buffalo, NY

By Edreys Wajed

Reprint Art Tribute to Buffalo-born Saxophonist and Jazz Legend, Grover Washington, Jr. By  Queenseyes Buffalo Rising, October 1, 2020 Revered Buffalo artist, educator, and entrepreneur, Edreys Wajed, is working on a new mural on the city’s East Side. His latest piece commissioned by M&T Bank, is being painted on a Kensington bank branch at 3037 Bailey Avenue. The new work of art is located within the M&T-led Buffalo Promise Neighborhood – an initiative that has been making sweeping monetary and social investments into the community. This particular mural is in recognition of Grover Washington, Jr., a Buffalo-born saxophonist and jazz legend. Buffalo’s jazz legacy is phenomenal, but if you ask around, not that many people would know that Washington hails from Buffalo. That’s why this tribute is so important – it’s a daily reminder of this city’s contribution to the jazz world. Washington is acclaimed as “an innovator of jazz fusion styles, especially jazz-funk and soul-jazz.” As of late, Wajed has been busy contributing to what is considered the rebirth of public art in Buffalo. Over the last couple of years, Wajed has emerged as a prolific public art activist, who has been busy tackling projects that include The Freedom Wall, Love Black, John “Spider” Martin, and Wish You Were Here. Wajed is also a contender for “Artist of the Year” in the Art Service Initiative of Western New York’s 2020 Spark Awards. A creative renaissance is underway that has been spearheaded by public and private investments, in all corners of the city. M&T Bank is one of those drivers of the public art scene – on the East Side, the bank is coupling these art advancements with approximately $2 million in branch upgrades and renovations.

October 7, 2020 Photos Four details below: