Mexican American Murals

Throughout history Mexican and Mexican-American identity underwent trials and tribulations of political and social stature. One of the ways best to display and communicate identity is by art because murals are a powerful tool when it comes to developing and shaping a voice for people to be heard or remembered. Murals are important in that they are monumental, public and pedagogical (notes). One example of how powerful and important murals can be, are the murals of Chicano Park and stories behind them that gives us a visual understanding of how social and political ideals were dealt with. There has been a history of institutionalized racism and sanctioned violence were border towns have Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans living; who seek

The sheer dedication to put one’s own life up as a barricade for something they believed in, against political ideals and strongholds, was a testament to the beginning of self-preservation. After the motivation from Salvador Torres, Chicano Park was transformed into a museum of about forty murals painted on twenty-four concrete pillars telling a story of pre-Columbian gods, myths and depicting images of legendary Mexican icons. The murals painted on the pylons when visited, give you a firsthand connection to the struggles of colonial and revolutionary times that Mexican people endured. It also shows spiritual reaffirmation through arts and bicultural duality when searching for an indigenous self (Rosen). Murals of cultural heoroes and heroines such as Cesar Chavez, Pancho Villa, Che Guevara, La Adelita and Emiliano Zapata invoke leadership and unity. Incorporated with these icons are whole scenes depicted on Chicano civil rights. Today the park is used for political and social events and every year the Latino community of San Diego, come together to celebrate its christening with music, dancing, food, and speeches of empowerment

This was the start of a sparked interest in comic books, radio, tourism and film. And by the mid-twentieth century, during the time of World War II, United States Hollywood leant a lot of its talent and equipment to Mexico and that was about the time Mexican history really started to build up and become a formidable force to reckon with. Mexicans began to invest heavily in television and movie’s during this time and witnessed an economic boom in the visual arts movement; especially in the areas of tourism, journalism and electronic media (Sacket). As domestic manufacturing and consumption grew Mexican’s start to identify with this time period as the Golden Age of Mexican National Cinema. Through this golden age marked a sense of patriotism and unity through their culture. For example one of the iconic images of post revolution in Mexico was Pedro Infante, who was very popular and a national symbol to Mexico. As per the woman’s image of Mexico, it was a very strong willed Maria Felix who stood up for what she believed in. Through state-sponsored cultural nationalism, Mexicans began to share a consumer language and ironically bringing Mexico closer to the United States creating a silent partner. Thus icons like Pedro and Maria helped export and project a colorful and safe image of Mexico