The new Muramid Mural Museum and Art Center will host its Grand Opening Celebration and Reception on Friday, January 22, 2016 with official VIP guest Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations and Senior Special Adviser to the UN General Assembly President, who will officiate and cut the opening ribbon.  A special tribute will also be dedicated to Dr. Jerry Schubel, President and CEO of the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific and the exhibition theme, “Water is Life”.

The public is invited to view and participate in the celebration that will recognize and pay tribute to the Museum founders, Joanne and Fouad Tawfilis, their long time mentor, Ambassador Chowdhury and the enduring collaboration with the Aquarium of the Pacific, where hundreds of murals have been created over the past decade.  The new Muramid Mural Museum has a unique concept in being the first indoor mural museum in the world.  

The Art Miles Mural Project, which serves as the foundation for the Muramid Mural Museum began in Bosnia during the Balkan conflict there and has evolved into what is known as “a visual interpretation of modern history” with an emphasis on twelve themed miles of murals; major social issues such as environment, children, women and peace, unity and healing to name but a few.

Based on the California drought situation and the emphasis and concern about water, the seas and our oceans, this exhibition is timely and critical.  Many schools, organizations and individuals have expressed this concern since the year 2000, and the Long Beach Aquarium has championed it on an annual basis with hundreds of the public participating in mural painting”, says Tawfilis. Five by twelve foot acrylic murals on canvas, painted by local and international artists will be showcased during the exhibition that will run through March 20, 2016.

The Muramid Mural Museum and Art Center will also become the venue and gathering place for mural artists of all age, as well as other genres of artists to teach classes, master classes, and participate in LIVE webcasting activities and international exchanges with other artists from the local area, the nation and the world.  

The mural museum concept was developed by the Tawfilis family with enthusiastic support from long-time friend and supporter Mark Princevalle, along with Edwin Molina and Trident Communications, who generated the notion that projection, along with exhibiting selections of physical murals that would solve the problem of exhibiting more than 4,000 canvas murals.  One-half million people from one hundred plus countries have painted murals that were also heralded as a major non-governmental organization project of the United Nations International Decade for a Culture of Peace, and were exhibited by the US Embassy in Paris, France in 2014 at the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  

For further information, please contact:  Joanne Tawfilis (760) 231 -1010 or JTawfilis@aol.com