GREAT MURAL PROJECT BEGINS WORK ON ‘SAGINAW PRESENT’ THEMED MURAL
Work has begun on a mural on the Bearinger Building at 126 N. Franklin in Downtown Saginaw to culminate in a reveal and celebration on Wednesday, August 23 from 5:30-8PM.
Pit & Balcony Community Theater, The Showdown and The Great Mural Project are partnering on this second mural of a pair of murals symbolizing Saginaw’s Past and Saginaw’s Present. A mural by Kevin Burdick featuring Civil Rights Activist and Saginaw Native Jim Letherer was installed on the same block at 301 E. Genessee earlier this summer.
Pit & Balcony Community Theater, The Showdown and The Great Mural Project are partnering on this second mural of a pair of murals symbolizing Saginaw’s Past and Saginaw’s Present. A mural by Kevin Burdick featuring Civil Rights Activist and Saginaw Native Jim Letherer was installed on the same block at 301 E. Genessee earlier this summer.
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"Saginaw Past"
WHAT
In Fall of 2021, Saginaw native Jesse Bivens came to us with a really great idea. He had done some research and found the story and picture of Jim Letherer, a Saginaw civil rights activist that walked with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the March on Selma. Jesse had talked to Artist Kevin Burdick and together we found a great wall for a mural. Some plans changed, but we were able to identify the funds to make this mural representing Saginaw Past happen. It is our joy to celebrate Jim Letherer, a true Saginaw legend.
WHERE
South side of The Commerce Center, 301 E. Genesee
WHO
Kevin Burdick with help from John Vasquez.
"Saginaw Past"
WHAT
“This piece represents Saginaw Present by highlighting the diversity of our community as well as Strength, Courage, and Resilience, which were all themes brought up in community conversations informing the design of this piece.
Saginaw is made up of many different cultures and skin tones. I view that as a major strength in our community. Any artist that approaches portraits knows that skin tones are universal and basically each of our skin tones is present in every skin type. Earth tones, in general, harmonize
with each other in all of nature. We tend to view them as differences in the human experience, but we really are connected, just many shades of brown. The present is a melting pot. That is our strength, and representation is key.
The phrase at the bottom, “Dear Mama,” points to the importance of the relationships in our community. I believe that motherhood is the embodiment of Strength, Courage, and Resilience and whether your relationship with your mom is good or bad, none of us would be here without our mothers. In Saginaw, specifically, fierce women lead many strong organizations and in every corner of the city, Mothers serve as the lynchpin of the family, holding everyone together, encouraging their children’s success and stepping up to better their families’ lives through community improvement and involvement.
I hope that this piece showcases the desire for our community to harmonize. The desire to work together in the present to build meaningful bridges to our future. The need to combine the Wisdom of our Elders and the Strength of our Youth to create the present that will serve as the foundation of our future."
-John Vasquez
Saginaw is made up of many different cultures and skin tones. I view that as a major strength in our community. Any artist that approaches portraits knows that skin tones are universal and basically each of our skin tones is present in every skin type. Earth tones, in general, harmonize
with each other in all of nature. We tend to view them as differences in the human experience, but we really are connected, just many shades of brown. The present is a melting pot. That is our strength, and representation is key.
The phrase at the bottom, “Dear Mama,” points to the importance of the relationships in our community. I believe that motherhood is the embodiment of Strength, Courage, and Resilience and whether your relationship with your mom is good or bad, none of us would be here without our mothers. In Saginaw, specifically, fierce women lead many strong organizations and in every corner of the city, Mothers serve as the lynchpin of the family, holding everyone together, encouraging their children’s success and stepping up to better their families’ lives through community improvement and involvement.
I hope that this piece showcases the desire for our community to harmonize. The desire to work together in the present to build meaningful bridges to our future. The need to combine the Wisdom of our Elders and the Strength of our Youth to create the present that will serve as the foundation of our future."
-John Vasquez
WHERE
The Bearinger Building, 126 N. Franklin
WHO
John Vasquez, Kayla Peake-Trautner, DeVaughn Collins
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THANK YOU
This mural is supported by the Michigan Arts & Culture Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Saginaw Community Foundation, Nexteer & HSC.
