Reggie LeFlore
‘WE’ Mural Tapestry, in Bloomington’s Southloop
mural by reggie leflore
Artist Statement
This mural serves to pay homage to my discovery of the multidimensional deities of West African folklore and mythology, especially as it relates to the knowledge of my West African heritage and its diaspora across the world. Of these deities, which are more commonly referred to as Orishas, the one depicted in this mural references the river goddess known as Oshun.
In various stories that span across the Yoruba people in West Africa, Oshun is regarded as a nurturer and protector of humanity and the lands that she inhabits. She’s known to exist as a human, but she also exists within nature - flowing through rivers, lakes, the rain, and even the vast ocean itself. As a member of the African diaspora that exists within these colonized spaces of Minnesota, known to many as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, my goal with this mural is to connect this story to both the vast bodies of water that surround us, and the presence of the West African river goddess that exists within them.
About the Artist
Reggie LeFlore is a visual artist who creates to praise individual and collective stories through human portraiture. His subject matter centers around “everyday people”, crafting portraits with vibrant colors and contemporary elements that aim to capture the energy and spirit of his subjects’ stories. LeFlore’s inspirations are drawn from the concepts and philosophies of Street Art culture and Illustration - using aerosol, acrylic paint and various graphic design techniques to construct pieces in varying styles, scales and surfaces. He uses visual arts to amplify both his surrounding environments and the narratives contained within them. *Photo courtesy of Reggie Leflore.
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