City Supports Bermuda Walls Initiative 

April 14, 2025 | 1 Comment

The City of Hamilton said they are “proud to support Bermuda Walls 2025 by providing City-owned wall space for a vibrant new mural by internationally renowned artist Marcus Borges—better known as Grabster.”

A spokesperson said, “The installation, located on Church Street outside of the Par-la-Ville car park, showcasing an underwater scene featuring sharks, marlin, Bermuda’s turquoise waters, and soaring longtail birds, is part of Bermuda Walls’ second annual mural arts festival which took place this past weekend.”

Jessica Astwood, Director of Marketing & Communications for the City, said, “When Bermuda Walls approached us to utilize one of our spaces, we saw a wonderful opportunity to enhance our city’s vibrant art scene. As a part of our annual VIVID maintenance review, we identified wall space for this striking new mural. This artwork will not only be a highlight of Bermuda Walls’ festival but will also become a permanent feature on our self-guided City VIVID art tour, which continues to expand in both size and quality every year. We anticipate this mural will further enrich our community and enhance our urban landscape.”

A spokesperson added, “VIVID, previously known as the City Arts Festival, has become a cornerstone of the City’s commitment to enhancing public spaces through creative expression. Over the past seven years, nearly 25 installations have been added to Hamilton’s landscape through the program. ”

“This new mural is part of the City’s broader vision—to inject vibrancy into Hamilton and celebrate our culture through art,” said Mayor Charles Gosling. “Bermudian architecture is beautiful, but a bare wall is still just a wall. These murals bring life, detail, and imagination to our city.”

A spokesperson added, “Grabster, who hails from Brazil and is now based in Miami, said his dynamic style shifts based on geography and local spirit.”

“I always want my work to reflect the culture and colors of the place I’m in,” he said. “Bermuda has such captivating imagery and strong, vivid tones, it was easy to find inspiration. Whether I’m painting in Bermuda, Miami, Detroit, or Arizona, my goal is the same: to use art to connect people. Everyone understands the language of art.”

Nhuri Bashir, co-founder of Burnt House Productions and Bermuda Walls, emphasized the importance of collaboration in creating public art. He said: “It means a lot when institutions like the City are willing to work with us to provide the space to bring our vision to life. That’s a big part of making art accessible—having places to display the work. We are grateful to the City and indeed all of our partners for supporting our vision.”

A spokesperson added, “This year’s festival saw the creation of more than 10 new murals across Hamilton. Members of the public are encouraged to explore the City’s VIVID self-guided art tour here, available on the City’s website or in print at the City Hall reception desk.”