Bien Hecho: Artists Restore Chicano Murals In San Diego

In San Diego, California, in a place called Chicano Park there are more than 50 murals covering freeway columns that intertwined with the park. A group of artists are currently working to restore them.

The first time I saw these murals when I was a young girl, they blew my mind. For one, they were so big, secondly, they were so beautiful and inspirational. Now, a group of people in San Diego has taken it upon themselves to retouch the murals, 40 years after they were painted. VoiceofSanDiego.org reported:

Beginning last summer, artists have been descending again from around the country on the park that bears the work of their youth. Older now, they’ve cobbled together teams of their children and friends to help climb scaffolding and paint hard-to-reach corners. Eighteen murals will get this revitalizing touch by next summer.

The murals cover the columns from the Interstate 5 and Coronado bridge freeways, and include poems, historical figures, artistic renderings of myths, men, women, spirits, and more. The revamping of the murals has led to an updating of some of the messages, too, but this period in which they were painted remains the same. In order for the murals to be painted in the first place, the community had to come together and protest, this time around money has come in from the state to help restore this distinctive community treasure.

Spread the word! Our weekly Bien Hecho segment, highlights the good deeds and achievements of Latinos across the U.S. If you feel that someone you know is deserving of recognition, let us know at tips@newstaco.com.