| Urban Art
Graduate 2023 Omar Alejandro (Boomzer)
- Enters JA Class of 2019
- Universidad de Guanajuato
- Visual Arts
From the streets of San Miguel de Allende to the walls of a Chicago museum, the story of Omar Alejandro Cortés Cardona, better known as Boomzer, is proof that art can transform destinations, communities… and the artist himself.
A Laureate graduate of the University of Guanajuato, Omar presented his thesis, "Love of My Neighborhood," as a declaration of love for his roots and the power of public art. With murals that tell stories of identity, struggle, and hope, he has taken his work to different corners of Mexico and abroad.
This international leap also took him to Atlanta, where he shared projects with local communities. There, his art crossed borders.
One of my greatest achievements has been exhibiting at the National Museum of Mexican Art, in Chicago, Illinois.
Thanks to Jóvenes Adelante, I felt embraced. Someone believed in me when I needed it most. That helped me believe in myself.
At the entrance to the gallery of the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago, Illinois, USA, is this mural called "What They Took From Us," created by Boomzer—in collaboration with other artists—inspired by a photograph by Graciela Iturbide.
"The mural represents what violence leaves us with in many of its manifestations: war, crime, racism, discrimination. This mural depicts women who live in rural areas and choose to wear black in permanent mourning after the loss of a loved one and the way they process their grief..."
"...understanding that it is the latter, it is our way of fighting against what we could not avoid, against the abandonment and helplessness of living in a world where life is 'worthless'"
Omar Alejandro Cortés Cardona (Boomzer)
- Graduate June, 2023
- Received an honorable mention with the project "Love for My Neighborhood"
“I want to give back a little of what I received. Being a mentor, sharing my experience, supporting new fellows... that would be an honor.”
Today, Omar Alejandro leads the “Ocelotl Arte SMA” project, which seeks to bring art closer to the residents of San Miguel, especially the youngest.
He teaches painting classes for children and young people.
He has participated in social initiatives where art becomes a tool for transformation and dialogue within the community.
Today Omar Alejandro dreams big:
Founding a free art school-studio, opening a gallery or cultural restaurant, continuing to travel, and painting murals that speak to those who don't always have a voice.
Mural Plaza La Luciérnaga,
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.
"First, I made a grid with a laser for better proportions since it's a human figure. Then, I drew the lines with a roller. The next step was to start staining different sections with color to generate shapes and volumes. Now, I'm adding details with spray paint."
You can see more about Omar Alejandro Cortés' (Boomzer) work on his social networks by click here.
Built with Shorthand