Murals
The walls of the city serve as a canvas to illustrate both the cultural pride and ongoing struggles of local communities. Classism, inequality, corruption, and the crisis of gender-based violence and machismo are common themes. Pieces are also created to denounce crimes against political and environmental activists who risk their lives to protect human rights and natural resources.
Street artists employ a range of techniques and materials that fit their ideologies. The Revolutionary Union of Art Workers (URTARTE) use wood block prints that are applied to biodegradable rice paper with a traditional press. Multiple copies are made and quickly applied to structures using wheat paste. This allows for an application that doesn’t damage historic buildings. As politically charged pieces are removed by the city, additional prints can swiftly take their place.
Lapiztola is a collective that creates vibrant, layered works with stencils and paint. Their graphics are typically focused on the indigenous identity of Oaxaca. Images of corn are included in order to show respect for the local domestication of this food source. The paliacate is also present in their designs – a bandana that’s associated with the strength and resistance of the Zapatista revolutionary movement.
Finely detailed murals involve flora and fauna or speak to ancestry, social issues, nature and the power of the female spirit through their visuals. Traditional, indigenous culture is also a common theme in local imagery.
In order to peruse dynamic public works, one is able to navigate the streets of Oaxaca solo which is what we did, or, participate in a guided tour. Street art is on every corner although there’s not so much in the historic city centre since most of the buildings are protected but outside of this, there’s tons to be found in the surrounding barrios.