Backstory To The Murals In The New Washington Heights Target

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, NY — One of the most noteworthy elements of the new Target that opened in Washington Heights earlier this month are the murals within the store depicting the neighborhood and Dominican culture.

The long-awaited and much-discussed Upper Manhattan popular retail store opened its new 25,000 square-foot location at 602 West 181st Street on Aug. 15.

The murals were created by Gaby D'Alessandro, a Dominican-born illustrator based in Brooklyn, who attended Altos de Chavon in the Dominican Republic before moving to New York to complete her studies at Parsons School of Design.

"The murals are a celebration of Washington Heights. I chose to depict the scenes up in the clouds as a way to pay homage to the neighborhood’s nickname, “The Heights,” and reference its location on hilly territory, high up in Manhattan," D'Alessandro told Patch. "I also decided to juxtapose plants and birds from the Dominican Republic and New York as a way to allude to the unique cultural mix that has blossomed in Little Dominican Republic."

Past clients of D'Alessandro have included The New York Times, The Botanical Garden of Padua, and The Library of Congress — but this was her first set of murals — as most of her work has been for smaller mediums like magazines and books.

The Dominican-born artist acknowledged the special element of creating art within the largest Dominican community in the United States.

"It was an honor to have the chance to create artwork highlighting Dominicans in the Heights," D'Alessandro said. "The murals are filled with symbolism from our culture like carnival characters, a couple dancing merengue next to a giant güira, a woman in a tubi playing dominó, a tambora, mofóngo, kids playing baseball."

"I hope the murals spread joy and that viewers get excited when they discover the different elements and scenes that represent the neighborhood," D'Alessandro told Patch. "I also hope they see themselves and people they know reflected in some of the characters and feel proud of the beautiful Washington Heights community."

The Target in Washington Heights is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Read More: Target Opens in Washington Heights: Take A Look Inside