THE MAGIC CITY
A Carousel of Immigration
Artists
Mike Girón. Richard Harrison. Rebecca Harrison. Jair Rodriguez. Ian Rodriguez. Aaron Olivo. Rigoberto Barajas-Rivera. Gary Kastrick.
2014
4837 S 24th St. Omaha, NE 68107
A constant in the story of South Omaha is the seemingly infinite loop of immigrants coming here to find opportunity and/or escape oppression; seeking new beginnings for themselves and their families. The traditions of each ethnic group sweeping in have mingled and merged. They had common values of family, perseverance, work and education. What you see at this corner now is much like it has always been: a bustling and vibrant local culture where businesses and families celebrate ethnic heritage and a self-defined spirit.
This was the first of our projects to use spray paint, so we called in the experts. A group of young men from the neighborhood were hired to lend us a hand. The project offered a different avenue for these artists to express their creativity in public space. Many of these youth still work with us today. Rigo was an apprentice on our Nebraska Mural and Jair was the lead designer on the Mayan Mural and assists on many others. These apprentices were the first of many in the South Omaha Mural Project. The apprentice program is a key element of our mission to strengthen communities.
Partners
Nebraska Arts Council
South Omaha Historical Fund
South Omaha Business Association