WATERTOWN – A new mural honoring the life and legacy of Arshile Gorky now brings color and meaning to the Grove Street underpass on the Watertown-Cambridge Greenway. Titled “Passage” and created by artist Brandon Gaia Marshall, the artwork was officially unveiled during a June 10 reception co-hosted by the City of Watertown and Mount Auburn Cemetery.

The mural is part of 100 Years of Arshile Gorky—a yearlong initiative marking a century since the celebrated artist left Watertown for New York City in 1925. Gorky, born Vosdanig Adoian, arrived in Watertown in 1920 after surviving the Armenian Genocide. He lived here with his sisters for five years before launching his career as a pioneer of Abstract Expressionism.

Inspired by Gorky’s signature use of vibrant color and abstract form, Passage pays tribute not only to his artistic influence, but also to the experiences of migration, trauma, and resilience shared by many in Watertown’s Armenian-American community. The mural also serves as a broader reflection on displacement and cultural memory.

Brandon Gaia Marshall, a Boston-based artist, brought both personal vision and mentorship to the project—guiding two high school assistants, in spray-painting techniques throughout the mural’s creation. Their involvement added an intergenerational element to the project, highlighting the educational and community-building role of public art.

With Passage, the city not only honors an iconic artist but reinforces its commitment to public art, historical recognition, and community healing.

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