Professor David Teng Olsen commissioned for Allston mural
Top: the mural in progress. Bottom: Professor David Teng Olsen stands with his Allston mural. (photos by Samara Pearlstein)
This winter, Professor David Teng Olsen was commissioned by Harvard University to design and paint a new mural in the North Allston area. The piece will cover the entire Western Ave-facing side of a Harvard-owned building, bringing some very welcome color and dynamism to the neighborhood. Professor Olsen has created a number of public art works and murals before, making him a natural choice for this commission.
The enormous scale of the mural, and the vagaries of winter weather, have made this a job for a team. Wintersession has allowed several Wellesley students to gain valuable real-world art experience assisting Professor Olsen in the creation of this mural. Students are learning how to paint in less-than-ideal temperatures, how to work in a public space, how to translate designs from a printed plan to a much larger vertical surface, and more.
The mural will be completed by the time Wintersession ends, so be sure to keep your eyes open if you're driving down Western Ave. in 2017!
Jan. 13, 2017