Chicano Art - El Paso, Texas

The Chicano Movement roughly parallels the efforts of African-Americans to gain equal access to work and education, as well as Civil Rights, but received far less publicity in the media. The effort of Chicano activists was recorded by an equally unrecognized (by the art world) group of artists centered in such communities as San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Antonio, El Paso, and Kingsville. One of the most visual forms of Chicano art is the public murals that appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970s – continuing to this day - depicting political, religious, and cultural themes. These might be painted by a single artist, or frequently by an artist working with young people from schools, youth programs, or the barrios. El Paso’s formal and informal murals decorate the sides of buildings, water tanks, and underpasses throughout the community. Suggestions for murals to visit can be found on-line under the heading “El Paso Mural Tours.” These gallery columns honor a mural project that decorates the structural supports of the Spaghetti Bowl.

Area: Central / Downtown

Source: EPMH

Uploaded by: El Paso Museum of History