Abstract
The border city of El Paso, Texas has a longstanding tradition of muralism in one of its oldest neighborhoods- the downtown Segundo Barrio. Though these manifestations have not received as much scholarly attention as other borderland muralist traditions, they echo a similar theme of community artwork focused on sociohistorical issues, cultural memory, and barrio identity relevant to their geopolitical space. Through a study of mural artists and programs in the downtown El Paso area, I view the use of specific iconography and themes as expressions of Segundo Barrio history, memory, and identity. These artists have continued a lineage of Chicano and barrio sensibilities in their work that reflects on community values and traditions. Though these practices stem from the same initiative of the local high school that serves the barrio, they generationally differ in themes and subject matter. In Gaspar Enriquez’s art, his Chicano identity informs his representation of barrio individuals; Jesus “Cimi” Alavarado’s muralism, on the other hand, represents current sociopolitical issues affecting borderland communities.
Recommended Citation
García, Eduardo. "El Paso Segundo Barrio Muralism: Barrio History, Memory, and Identity in Community Artwork." Chamisa: A Journal of Literary, Performance, and Visual Arts of the Greater Southwest 1, 1 (2021). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/chamisa/vol1/iss1/21
Included in
Chicana/o Studies Commons, Fine Arts Commons, Latina/o Studies Commons, Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons