US Ambassador personally congratulates OMAP

Theo personally reviewed the Osh Mural Arts Program HIV/AIDs project with the U.S. Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan. She congratulated him and the program for their success.

Dedication Ceremony

Its been a whirlwind trip to the very end of this project. The dedication ceremony went very well. We had 79 people show for it along with the deputy mayor and the Peace Corps country director. It made russian news tv, web and journals. I believe we really got the message out about AIDS awareness here. I just completed participant evaluations and everyone was very proud of the mural. I'm not 100% sure, but I think it is the first major mural in Kyrgyzstan since the Soviet era. Already we are starting to meet community members for our next two projects that we will start in the September/October of this year. Photos show the mural team, the deputy mayor giving a speech, and breakdancers performing at the event.

Progress Photos from Week 2 of Painting

The last and final week of painting the mural. Details are being added now and are really making the mural pop. The team has been working Monday through Friday 9am-4pm. We provide them with lunch and drinks. Since everyday we receive requests to do more murals and painting projects, we have just added a small business class so the participants can create work for themselves.

Watch the "Mural in the Making" Music Video

Turn up the volume. Check out this 2 1/2 minute music video chronicling the painting in its first of two week implementation phase of the project.

Before the Paint: Planning the Mural

The photos show:

Professional artist Baket with DCCA's Shuhrat and grafitti artist Elia finalizing colors, techniques and the materials lists before we head out to purchase paint at the bazaar.

AIDS specialist Fatima of Rainbow, a local AIDS info center NGO, reviews potential mural ideas of the student artists.

2 samples of mural design ideas

More AIDS Mural in Progress Photos

Photos show:

Bayasan and Jyldyz holding a template that is ready to go up.

Kalia and Jyldyz painting doves.

Graphitti writer Elia in front of his work, "life is wonderful"

Osh Mural Arts Program new website!

Day 4 of the HIV/AIDS project.

The photos show students painting, an interview between the local professional artists from Sultanat gallery and Osh Television and artist Sultanat adding detail to the mural.