Page 20 RAIN May 1980 Jaime is a poet, writi;r and artist, employed at Southwest Research and Tnformation Center. H,e is also a founder of the Taller Liberarte, an organization dedicated to promoting community art of various types. A particular intere~t of the Taller is to support murals in neighborhoods,'so that such art is·accessible'to a wide range of people. This article des,cribes a mural project undertaken by the Taller j!!_ Albuquerque during 1979. • "The highest, most logical, purest and tnost powerful type of painting is mural painting. It is also the most disinterested, as it cannot be converted into an object of personal gain, nor can it be concealed for the benefit of a few privileged people. It'is for people. It is for eve-rybody ." • ,_ -Jose Clemente Orozco Social commentary art, ·when applied consciously at the community level, can be a powerful force that reflects the vital symbolism and visions of contemporary peopl'e in motion. Mural art, in all its vibrancy, color and form, serves a definite nutritional function to t~e spiritual and creative needs of people who otherwise co'uld not afford the luxury of p'rivately owned art. It is the goal and ultimate· • responsibility of the artist/organizer to gather and present the cultural and political history of-communities struggling to seek a more positive and clear definition of their own e~istence. From July 26 to November } of last year-, three highly expressive murals were completed at Albuquerque's Southwest Valley Senior Citizen and Youth Development Center. Muralists Enriqueta Vas- - quez of Taos, ~ernando Penaloza of Bolivia and Manuel Unzueta originally from Juarez/El Paso, with full community support, successfully executed three murals of.extraordinary depth and sensitivity. by Jaime Chavez In numerous meetings Taller Liberarte, a local Albuqu~rcjue multicultural, non-profit arts organization and the predominantly Chicano community discussed their aspirations and aesthetic perception~of the murals. Prior to the actual painting, sketches·were presented and ultimately approved m:rnnimously by the Bernalillo County Commission. Top quality acrylic paints, gesso, brushes, sketch pads, chalk, sealer and other necessary materials were pur.- chased by Youth Development, Inc. The YDI also assumed the responsibility of wall preparation such as sanding and stucco repair. Other sponsors included the New Mexico Arts Council, Southwest Research and Information Center, and Southwest Valley Economic Action Team and the community at large. On numerous occasions, the press and media "were contacted and invited to witness this unique, historical experience occurring in the Armijo/Atrisco land grant area of the south valley. This area is predo~inantly rural in character, and is suffering constantly from encroachment by the growing, bustling Albuquerque city gover~- inent. The result of this intrusion is the erosion of the traditional land-people relationship of the residents. The publicity, which was favorable throughout the entire project, focused on the personalities of the participants and the thematic content of the murals, which was developed within the context of the community. These rural barrio (Chicano community) murals, dedicated to the "lnter:pational Year of the Child," reflect the mythological origins orChicano and Indian peoples. Both Enriqueta and Fernando transcend current notions of time by delving deep into the roots and consciousness of our culture. Aztec motifs, calendar symbolism, the·moon goddess Coyol;xauhqui, campesino (farmworker), pachu-· co (strong Chicano counterculture type), silhouettes adorned with faces of calaveras (skulls), and the curandera (healer)/mother image surrounded by loving children are but a few of the images utilized by Enriqueta. Fernando, concerned with tp.e rape of Pachamama/La Madre _ Tierra (mothfr earth), moves swiftly from a tranquil,'balanced past to a cataclysmic present and a future nearing Armageddon with destructjon at the hands of wh;u he sees as being "modern techno-
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