Homecoming
“Homecoming,” a commissioned piece created by St. Paul artist Kada Goalen, commemorating thirty years of serving homeless Veterans in Minnesota. The piece pictures several actual properties owned by MACV which serve as supportive housing for Veterans emerging from homelessness, honoring the founding purpose of our organization.
In the painting you can see the many identities and life stages of MACV Veterans. No two Veterans have the exact same story or needs, but the unifying experience of military service creates common ground for all the individuals impacted by MACV’s services. The flags flown within the painting represent the country, state, and each branch of service to which Veterans dedicate themselves. The prisoner of war flag, which Veterans commonly fly in honor of their brothers and sisters in arms, holds a prominent spot.
“Homecomings” includes many references to MACV’s strongest supporters. The two houses in the forefront on the left and right edges represent homes built through our partnerships with Lennar Builders and Housing First Minnesota Foundation, which continues to expand of our housing program options. The address numbers on both of those homes (1990 and 2020) represent the year MACV started through to our 30th anniversary. VFW groups, Minnesota Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, and Every Third Saturday are also incorporated in the painting.
MACV walks alongside each Veteran as they create a new future for themselves and their loved ones. “Homecomings” shows how far we have come in the past 30 years, which fuels our relentless drive to serve the individuals who sacrificed so much to defend our country, state, and communities. We thank you for your support and are honored to consider you an ally in the fight to end Veteran homelessness in Minnesota.
If you are interested in 30 x 40 copy of this print, send us an email at [email protected].
For more work by Kada Golan, see her Instagram page or at on her website at: https://kada-creative.com/