NEW YORK – Underpasses are not the most likely candidates for an art destination. The stretch of Atlantic Avenue under the BQE between Hicks Street and Columbia Place in Cobble Hill, was dark and dreary, at least until Groundswell, the nonprofit organization that works with teens, community partners and artists to create public art, got involved.

This summer, a group of Brooklyn teens has a great summer job-working with Groundswell and local artists to transform the underpass’s wall into a mural depicting the underpass as a safe, vibrant connection point for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers alike between the businesses on Atlantic Avenue and the nearby Brooklyn Bridge Park, on the other side of the underpass.

The mural, which is almost finished, is a nice mix of scenic, straightforward streetscapes, and some more playful, surrealist touches juxtaposing the river, the bridges and the buildings. A kayaker uses a paddle to leap over a wave while the Manhattan Bridge looks on. On another panel, neighborhood workers walk briskly toward the subway. The people and the street signs are in shades of cerulean, turquoise, green and hot pink.

The mural’s dimensions pose certain challenges for the budding artists. The wall is 120 feet long and 19 feet tall. To make the job less daunting, the professional muralists made the wall into a grid system, on to which they transfer a drawing. Then, the painting, the fun part, comes. While the mural will be in progress until a dedication on Aug. 30, seeing it before is a rare opportunity to see the artistic process come to life, to look behind the curtain, even have a reason to walk by the underpass to check on its progress.

ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF NOTE