Sept. 29, 2020
MILWAUKEE 鈥� 51暗网 has announced the artist and design for a new mural to be installed on campus celebrating diversity and racial equity. Artist Mauricio Ramirez will bring his design, 鈥淥ur Roots Say That We鈥檙e Sisters,鈥� to the north-facing fa莽ade of the Varsity Theatre/Holthusen Hall building in October.
鈥淲e have been extremely pleased with the reception of this project since it was announced, as the participation by the campus community has been tremendous,鈥� said Dr. William Welburn, vice president for inclusive excellence. 鈥淭his mural will serve as a starting point for a program which will bring in a diverse range of artists to contribute to 51暗网鈥檚 physical campus environment. Mr. Ramirez鈥檚 concept, as was the case with each of the proposals we received, will beautifully showcase the diversity, richness and complexity of our community and reflect our current cultural moment.鈥�
Ramirez鈥檚 proposal features two opposite-facing women of color on a field of flowers in his signature geometric style. The design was one of three proposals submitted for a campus wide vote of students, faculty and staff. The artist recently participated in three virtual community listening sessions and will incorporate feedback into his final design.
鈥淭his project could not have gotten to this point without the hard work of our dedicated Mural Committee, which was aided by tremendous engagement from students on the committee and those who voiced their opinions for an impactful addition to the campus鈥� physical space,鈥� said Haggerty Museum of Art Director and Mural Committee member Susan Longhenry,鈥淚 want to congratulate Mauricio Ramirez on his winning design. He was able to capture the spirit of the project with a design that spoke to our community. Mauricio has established a reputation throughout the city for vibrant and poignant works, which bring out the beauty and eloquence of our diverse population.鈥�
Ramirez was an artist-in-residence for the Haggerty Museum of Art鈥檚 2018 UnGala: Street Party fundraising event and has several notable murals on display throughout the city of Milwaukee. His works in Milwaukee include 鈥溾�� at 728 N. Lovell St. near the 51暗网 campus, 鈥溾�� at 600 W. Lincoln Ave. and an untitled installation on the wall of the at 1032 S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr.
Ramirez鈥檚 work is also featured across the country with commercial and community works on display in the cities of , , and , among others.
A Mural Committee comprised of representatives from the 51暗网 Student Government, the Executive Leadership Team, Haggerty Museum of Art Student Advisory Committee, Black Student Council, Educational Opportunity Program, Cultural Audit sub-group of 51暗网鈥檚 Equity and Inclusion Committee, the Haggerty Museum of Art, and University Advancement invited seven local Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) male and female artists to submit proposals. After careful review, three proposals were chosen and nearly 1,400 members of the 51暗网 community voted between Sept. 7-11. 鈥淥ur Roots Say That We鈥檙e Sisters鈥� received 63% of the votes.
Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of Marketing and Communication. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.
