A new public art exhibit will soon be added to the scenery of downtown Fayetteville in late November courtesy of the Cool Spring Downtown District. 

The CSDD is working with Quebec- based company Creos to bring the large format project titled Mi Casa, Your Casa 2.0 to the City, with the official opening planned for Nov. 23, 2022. 

The art installation will remain in downtown Fayetteville for the public’s enjoyment through the holiday season until Jan. 3, 2023. 

The exhibit, currently on its world tour, was created by artists Hector Esrawe and Ignacio Cadena who said they were inspired by Latin-American mercados, or lively street markets, “where human connections are made every day.” 

Creos describes the exhibit as “a series of eight, three-dimensional, red frames that illustrate the warmth, comfort, and safety of our homes.” The frames look like tiny houses, feature swings, and emit a soft white glow when they are empty; however, once a visitor steps inside, the glow intensifies to indicate someone is home.

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County is title sponsor of the installation, and with support from the City of Fayetteville, the eight art pieces will be strategically placed around the Arts & Entertainment District for visitors to enjoy. 

President and CEO of CSDD Bianca Shoneman expressed the importance of the installation in a city like Fayetteville in a press release stating,“As many folks know, Fayetteville is home to quite a diverse community of folks who hail from all over the world, thanks to Ft. Bragg, and our community becomes a home away from home for them.”

As of March 2022, CSDD has led the way to bring 14 other permanent or temporary art projects to the downtown landscape over the past two years. 

Shoneman said she and her team have received positive feedback for the changes. 

“What we heard and saw shared across social media was overwhelmingly positive in terms of the joy people felt in interacting with Prismatica’s colorful pieces during an otherwise dark time,” said Shoneman in a press release. “Now, with Mi Casa, Your Casa, our hope is visitors will see these tiny homes as a symbol of our hospitality, take a moment to sit a spell on the swings, and allow themselves to be embraced by our warm community.”