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OKC Outlets is refreshed with new-fashioned mural
Chamber member OKC Outlets is now home to the latest work of muralist, Carlos Barboza. The outlet shops commemorated the new “Fashion through the Ages” mural with a ribbon cutting ceremony alongside Greater Oklahoma City Chamber staff on July 21.
The artwork includes references to the trends of yesteryear and beyond, while bringing a contemporary aspect to Oklahoma City's sole outlet shopping center.
“We’re a shopping center. This is where you learn, and shop for your trendiest outfits. Right? We wanted to do something that made sense for our shopping center, but was still beautiful and colorful, and spoke a little bit to who we are,” Jeanette Smith, General Manager of OKC Outlets said.
The mural comes on the tail-end of improvements to the center’s food court plaza area. Smith said the mural piece was simply, “the cherry on top.”
"I think people enjoy the open air atmosphere. It can be challenging during weather but I do feel that, generally speaking, the public does enjoy the outside atmosphere."
The food court serves as a place for patrons to cool down (or warm up, depending on the season), and refuel before finishing out their shopping. The area just outside of the building allows for additional dining and incorporates a turfed median, outfitted with seating to serve as an outdoor lounge under the center's oversized shade umbrellas. Smith said the outlets' many improvements are all meant to make things more comfortable for the customers.
Carlos Barboza, a Costa-Rican-born, Oklahoma City-based visual artist was selected for the commission of the mural after drawing attention to himself in an Oklahoma State Fair mural competition, sponsored by OKC Outlets in 2019, finishing in first place.
“When we started thinking about doing a mural, we felt that we really wanted to reach out to him and see what his vision was. We were really impressed by what he brought back to the table.”
The "Fashion through the Ages" mural depicts out-of-this-world models, contrasting backgrounds, weaving in and out of generations past; illuminating the shopping center's interior corridor. The multi-colored palette of the painting is familiar to the artist.
