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Coming Home
Coming Home is a vibrant and profoundly symbolic mural, as it explores the intricacies of immigration and the emotional voyage it entails for every individual involved. It illustrates two women from distinct cultures and ethnicities who are visually interconnected but divided by a symbolic line. An American woman representing established immigrant groups pauses in her warmly lit living room to observe through a telescope. Embellished with a log cabin quilt design variant, this environment represents stability and household tradition. Dressed in a vibrant yellow dress and bearing a suitcase, a younger woman from the Middle East enters an expansive blue space on the right, symbolizing the challenges and opportunities of new beginnings. Her background showcases a ten-pointed Islamic star, symbolic of Islamic art, representing her cultural origin. The mural is divided into two halves, each expressing a unique cultural and emotional place. The telescope bridges the division, a diagonal line that directs the viewer’s gaze throughout the mural, linking the two women visually and thematically. The positioning of the figures—one stationary and anchored in her surroundings, the other in motion—highlights difference while establishing balance, as they reflect each other’s dimensions and relevance. The geometric patterns behind the women offer structure and repetition, harmonizing with the organic curves of the figures and their attire. The color scheme enriches the narrative. Soft purples and yellows on the left imply warmth, nostalgia, and tradition. Conversely, cool blues adorn the right side, representing the unknown and the enormous possibilities of the immigrant experience. The vivid yellow of the traveling woman’s outfit symbolizes hope and optimism, but the complementary purple in the settled woman’s environment signifies reflection and stability. These complementary colors generate visual harmony, representing the potential for mutual enrichment via cultural interchange. The painting combines various straight and curved lines to direct the viewer's attention and foster dynamic interactions. The geometric designs—linear and angular on the left, complex and star-shaped on the right—represent the differing cultural heritages of the two women. The women's flowing hair and garment lines soften the composition, giving movement and vitality. The diagonal line of the telescope serves as a focal point, physically and thematically linking the two women, while the birds in the upper right corner direct the viewer’s gaze upward, suggesting independence and migration. The telescope indicates a purposeful endeavor to connect and understand beyond cultural boundaries, but the complementing colors of the women's attire imply harmony and the prospect of cultural synergy. The Arabic word "home" is engraved twice, emphasizing the common human desire for belonging. The depictions of Lady Liberty's head anchor the greater backdrop of immigration and the principles of liberty and opportunity, and the flock of birds in flight represents migration and aspiration. -
DAKHOTA ANCESTORS
The arrangement of the mural is very symmetrical. At the center of the mural is a budding flower and the there is a woman’s face on each side of the flower. On the other side of the women’s faces there is another set of flowers. The focal point of the mural is on the two women that are facing each other. The Mural is full of different bold and vibrant colors with a solid dark grey backdrop. The simplicity of the backdrop makes the color of the women’s earrings and shirts stand out even more. The bright color gives an upbeat and positive vibe to the mural. An even thickness black line outlines almost every shape within the mural. The black line gives a crisp and polished finish to the mural making it feel extremely professional and detail oriented. The only shape in the mural not outlined by black are the solid white triangles within the earrings while even the polka dots on the shirt are outlined. The lines are both straight and sharp as well as rounded in the face and braids. The mural has the texture of a cinderblock wall behind it. When looking at the piece from a far the texture isn’t noticeable because your eye is drawn to the crisp colors and women’s faces however when you get up-close to look at detail the block texture is noticeable. The overcoming of the texture gives the women depicted an air of resiliency and overcoming obstacles in their own personal lives as they conquer the texture of the wall derailing their spotlight. One of the ways that the artist creates depth is within the women themselves. The braids of the women are obstructing the view of the women’s shirts and part of their faces. The way the jaw is outlined also creates a sense of depth with her chin seeming to protrude slightly from her throat.