RAHWAY, NJ — On Friday, Oct. 25, Rahway officially unveiled its latest public art mural, highlighting innovators with connections to the city, on board an NJ Transit train attended by local dignitaries. Mayor Raymond A. Giacobbe Jr. and Rahway City Council were joined by Assemblywoman Linda Carter, as well as representatives from NJ Transit, Merck Research Labs and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. Following the unveiling, Giacobbe shared remarks at the Rahway Train Station in celebration of this exciting merger of technology and art.
“This mural is designed not only as a work of art but as an engaging landmark and a welcoming gateway to Rahway,” said Giacobbe. “It serves as a reminder of our city’s rich history and our commitment to fostering creativity and innovation.”
The mural, an impressive 1,500 square feet, is the work of renowned artist DISTORT, who is celebrated for blending classical painting techniques with street art. His striking murals can be seen in cities across the United States and even internationally in Istanbul.
The artwork pays tribute to three groundbreaking figures: Nikola Tesla, Carl Sagan and Jeannette E. Brown. Tesla, an iconic engineer and physicist, is celebrated for his revolutionary advancements in the alternating current electricity supply system. In the mid-1880s, his company, the Tesla Electric Light and Manufacturing Company, operated on Irving Street in Rahway, where he secured patents for an improved arc lamp design.
“For this mural, I got to tap into the similarities between science and art,” said DISTORT. “The spirit of exploration and creativity embodied by the work of Nikola Tesla has been a great source of inspiration and the more I find out about his life, the more interesting it gets.”
Sagan, a distinguished planetary scientist and a proud graduate of Rahway High School, is another luminary featured in the mural. Sagan published more than 600 scientific papers and was instrumental in popularizing science through his acclaimed PBS documentary series “Cosmos” in the 1980s.
The mural also honors Brown, a biochemist at Merck whose groundbreaking work in antibiotics has made a significant global impact. While at Merck’s Rahway facility, Brown secured a patent and contributed to five others. Later, she became a respected historian of science and authored influential books on African American women chemists.
This vibrant mural, strategically placed along the train lines, aims to create a captivating visual experience for daily commuters traveling southbound. With more than 2,100 boardings each weekday reported in Fiscal Year 2024 at Rahway Station alone, it is poised to greet thousands of passengers daily.
This remarkable project was made possible through a public-private partnership between the property developer and the city of Rahway’s Special Improvement District. The city invites all travelers to experience this new addition to Rahway, celebrating the city’s artistic spirit and commitment to enhancing public transit experiences.
For more information, visit the Rahway Public Art Map at https://rahwayishappening.com/public-art.
Photos Courtesy of Rachel Smith