Mid-West Mural, Philly Phlare
By PAT DOLENTE
Updated 5:32 AM EST, Tue, Jun 30, 2009
Even at 1,205 miles away in Omaha, Nebraska, the nation’s largest mural seeps with Philly influence--That’s because the mural's creator, Meg Saligman, is a born and bred Philadelphian.
The mural, entitled “Fertile Ground,” was painted on the east wall of the Energy Systems Building. Measuring 70 feet tall and 328 feet long, the mural ranks among the world's largest, according to WOWT.com.
The mural shows the endless possibilities and potential Omaha holds, Saligman said . She used a crew of 10 artists to paint the masterpiece, which took more than two years to complete.
“You can look at what you did and it's so tangible, and so it's a wonderful feeling, and there's another part that's a little sad. We were up on the scaffolding and we're saying, you know, how many times are we going to have that big of a painting to paint?” Saligman told WOWT when the 11-person crew finished up.
If you don’t feel like taking the 18-hour drive to Omaha, Saligman painted another huge mural here in Philly. “Common Grounds” on Broad and Spring Garden Streets shows high school students from the area being contrasted with images of Victorian ladies, ancient heroes and historical gentlemen.
She is also responsible for what may be the one good thing on I-76 – “Passing Through.” The 5,000 square foot artwork shows “figures flying over the city [that] burst forth from signs pointing to Central Philly.”
First Published: Jun 29, 2009 10:00 AM EST
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