Texas Southern University

          Brenda Lacy’s mural showcases an exploration of homes from various civilizations, spanning back to the Mayan era. The artwork features an array of dwellings including painted huts, pyramids, Somba houses from Benin, and more. The color palette is warm and inviting, with a range of sandy brown tones, while the blue tones in the night sky captures the soft glow of a full moon. In the heart of the moon, Lacy incorporates a basket of eggs, a nod to folklore that symbolizes the birth and creation of new life across the land. This is also known as the “egg moon,” highlighting the mural’s themes of renewal and continuity.

          Lacy’s work delves into themes such as home, womanhood, birth, and protection, drawing parallels between the concept of home and the nurturing aspects of motherhood. Although the clustered homes vary greatly in architectural style, they share a common purpose: to provide shelter and safety. This connection between homes and motherhood resonates with viewers, inviting them to reflect on the universal idea of protection and care. Lastly, at the center of the mural Lacy has incorporated a depiction of a terracotta sculpture she created for a ceramics class at Texas Southern University.  Lacy’s painting of her sculpture features cut-outs throughout the body. The top bears an abstract face with conical ears. The physical terracotta work is decorated with spirals and rolled balls of clay, both of which are among the signature embellishments used by students of Professor Carroll Harris Simms.

This program is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.