A photo of the mural created by Madison Hackett ‘25. ZENDRAH BONNICK / THE QUADRANGLE
Maizy Swift and Zendrah Bonnick, Production Editor/Asst. Social Media Editor and Staff Writer
On the evening of Friday, Oct. 17, students, staff, faculty and friends gathered in room 5.17 of Thomas Hall, to attend the opening of the Manhattan University Performing Arts’ Mural. The mural was designed by Madison Hackett ‘25, who majored in digital media arts, and minored in business, who was also in attendance for the unveiling.
The mural portrays various groundbreaking musicians, including Billie Holiday, a swing vocalist and civil rights advocate, alongside Chuck Berry, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis and John Coltrane, ending with bass player Charles Mingus.
Hackett discussed her inspiration and creative process behind the piece.
ZENDRAH BONNICK / THE QUADRANGLE
“The Manhattan University Jazz Band actually really inspired me to paint this mural, because I figured they had this giant blank wall and I thought it would be really great to add some lively color to it,” Hackett said. “And what better way to do that than to make it very musical? So I painted some of the greatest musicians in early American music.”
Hackett only had limited time to complete the painting.
“I only had three months to physically do it, originally we had to provide funding,” Hackett said. “It was Dr. Pottinger who provided the funding, he worked really hard for it.”
Hackett further described the process in designing the mural.
“I made a mockup digitally using Photoshop, I sketched out my idea, [and] played around with all the colors,” Hackett said. “I painted the piano, and then I started to go inside and paint the details. I started with Billie Holiday and ended with Billie Holiday because I jumped around a lot.”
Overall, Hackett hopes that this mural will serve as encouragement to students at MU to follow their own dreams and ideas.
“I just really hope that they get inspired and they know they have a voice and whatever they want to do in college they definitely can make it happen,” Hackett said. “I was just a student and I had an idea and then I acted on it and I brought it into fruition, and I’m happy and proud of that.”
In attendance at the event was Vanessa Goncalves, a senior performing arts scholarship recipient. Goncalves is a participant in the campus Music Ministry and co-president of Singers. Goncalves explained the importance of the mural to her as a performing arts student.
“I think as a senior it just makes me very proud of the place that I spend so much of my time in, I feel very proud of her and I feel very proud of the legacy that she’s making,” Goncalves said. “I can imagine the excitement that they’ll [visitors] see if they walk into that space and they’ll take a look at it. I’m very excited because that will be remembered for everyone whoever comes in this room ever again.”
Amaya Castillo-Mills, a junior sound studies major at MU, performed at the event and shared how the mural can relate to all students and people who enjoy music.
“There’s rock, classic rock and roll, blues, jazz, there’s influences that would influence pop music today,” Mills said. “I think it’s important for everybody to just stop by and peer at it just a little bit, there’s something for everybody on the wall.”
At the unveiling, MU’s Players performed the song “Rainbow Connection” in efforts to promote their Muppets-inspired cabaret.
Grace Coutu, a junior majoring in early childhood education, performed at the event as a member of Players. Coutu felt the mural was a great representation for performing arts students at MU.
“I really like Frank Sinatra, I like Billie, so it’s a lot of good artists, a lot of artists that have had really big impacts on music as a whole, and the history of music and how people take advantage and change music over time,” Coutu said.