An 80-foot concrete frieze titled Exodus and Dance was created in 1939 by Richmond Barthé and installed at the Kingsborough Houses in Weeksville, Crown Heights. The etched reliefs portray biblical imagery and dance motifs that express spirituality, community and joy and depict black figures in celebration and migration. The frieze fell into significant disrepair over decades, suffering graffiti, cracks and missing pieces. Local advocacy in 2018 secured restoration funding, including $1.8 million from city sources and $650,000 from a Mellon Foundation-supported grant. The refurbished art panel was unveiled to the public on Aug. 7, accompanied by community programming.
The stunning 80-foot-long concrete frieze, "Exodus and Dance," was created in 1939 and installed in front of the Kingsborough Houses in the Weeksville section of Crown Heights - home to one of the nation's first free black communities - two years later. The historic treasure's etched reliefs depict biblical imagery and dance motifs to convey "spirituality, community and joy," proponents said.
But despite community pride surrounding "The Wall," as it's called by Kingsborough residents, the art fell into incredible disrepair over the decades, said city Public Housing Community Fund Executive Director Alex Zablocki. "The wall had been defaced with graffiti and due to its age, the frieze was cracked and parts were missing," he told The Post. After locals championed its restoration in 2018, NYCHA received $1.8 million in funding for the effort from former City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and ex-council member Alicka Ampry-Samuel.
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