Marco Raya and the Pilsen Neighborhood Murals
Since the first mural was painted in 1968, the Pilsen neighborhood
of Chicago has been the scene of the Mexican muralist movement. Here artist
from all over and throughout the last 40 years have found a place to mix their
passion for art and their experiences of protest. The murals have given the Pilsen
community a way to raise consciousness about their neighborhood and Mexican
culture in Chicago.
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| "Fallen Dictator" Photo retrieved fromWTTW Chicago |
In an age where wall murals are now only used for “artsy” Instagram
pictures and for aesthetics, the Pilsen murals go to show how art can be more
than something nice to look at. These murals are full of social and political
charge that have been a form of protest since the 1970s and 80s. One of the
most famous murals, Prevent
World War III , is located on 18th street. The mural is made up of
multiple panels made to look like a film reel inspired by Reagan’s acting
career. The panels are each filled with a different critique of society and
politics. One of the most well-known segments is “Fallen Dictator” by Marcos
Raya, shows a statue of Anastasio Somoza (Nicaraguan Dictator) toppled by
working class rebels waiving a Nicaraguan revolution flag and holding a picture
of Che Guevara.
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| Photo from Chicago Reader |
The Prevent World War
III shows how art and creativity are ever changing. When Raya received a
$10,000 commission to restore the mural he did not simply apply a fresh coat of
paint. In the revamped mural that you can see today, there are images and
depictions of issues the people in Pilsen, along with many others, face today.
What once was an image of Reagan and Carter fighting over a missile is now a
wrestling match between Trump and Hillary Clinton over the same missile. The
section that showed protestors in the 70s is now modern day protesters holding
signs for stopping gentrification, affordable housing, and to stop police
brutality.
Marco Raya: Person, Process, Field
Person- Marco Raya was born in Mexico and lived there
until he turned 16. In 1964 he moved to Chicago with his mother and siblings
right in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement.
Process and Product- His artwork is highly influenced
by his internal combination of Mexican roots and Chicagoan identity. A lot of
his later artwork mixes traditional Mexican images with modern American pop
culture images and references.
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| Marcos Raya Photo from Richard Harris Art Collection |
Field- Raya credits fellow muralist, Jose Chavez
Morado in inspiring him to become a muralist and public figure that comes along
with being a Mexican muralist. Raya’s mural, along with all the other Pilsen
murals brought pride and a sense of identity to Chicago’s oppressed Mexican-American
Community and has therefore been celebrated for the last 30+ years. He has now
had exhibitions travel all around the world and established multiple permanent
exhibitions around Chicago and the US.
I love the Pilsen neighborhood specifically because of the murals and artwork there that represent contemporary, real-world issues. Something that has stuck with me is when one of my peers visited Pilsen for a class project my freshman year of college. Instead of reveling in the beauty of the community, he came back and told me he didn't enjoy it because he was "afraid he was going to get mugged the whole time." I feel like this attitude towards Pilsen perpetuates the very problems that the artwork is trying represent. Pilsen is a forward-thinking community, always pondering the state of our world if we continue on the path we're on. The way that the people of Pilsen express this thinking in such a peaceful, creative way will never cease to amaze me. The murals in Pilsen are definitely a must-see for any Chicago resident!
ReplyDeleteI was recently in Pilsen and was awed by the extensive mural art throughout the entire neighborhood. I really like Raya's art in particular because it has a message that speaks beyond just being art or an cool backdrop for photos, like you mention. The murals give people like Raya an outlet to voice their opinions and have a dialogue with their community about issues they face together, which is really important, especially as Pilsen begins to gentrify.
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