Benu
The Rebirth of the South Side
Artist:
Jeffrey Martin Cook, Marcus Jefferson, Joseph Matunis, Songhay
Smith and Students from the Area
Commissioned
by: Butz Foundation, Chicago Mural Arts Project, the
South Shore Bank, Walgreens, Dominicks, Center for Neighborhood
Technology
Location:
Jeffrey Plaza, 73rd and Chappel
Medium:
Mural
Commentary:
The picture is based on an African legend of a golden bird which
dies and ressurects itself every 500 years. The picture shows
the bird in the background as African Americans follow a striking
woman leader toward power and freedom. The story of the bird is
written on the mural itself and in the dedication the artists
state that there can be no "freedom until we maintain our
own business and industry."
When the mural was painted, the community of South Shore was
beginning to ressurect itself after a twenty year period of decline.
The building of Jeffrey Plaza, where the picture is displayed,
was a key element in that ressurection and represented the power
of African Americans to "maintain their own business and
industry."
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