The old fire station on Olvera Street– the first station in Los Angeles– caught my eye. I walked in on the day of our first field trip and was surprisingly welcomed by a historian who looked over the memorabilia.
We ended up having a conversation for twenty minutes. She was a wealth of knowledge– from chicano culture to local museums, she knew everything there was to know about the street. In our conversation, she mentioned David Alfaro Siqueiros and the history behind his mural on Olvera Street. After AYA’s discussion about Los Angeles street art and murals in Week 4, I was immediately reminded of my research involving this renowned Mexican painter and muralist. Siquieros was ‘the guy’ when it came to Mexican muralism movements. He depicted social and political themes and especially advocated for the rights of the working class.
In 1932, Siqueiros was invited by the Chouinard Art Institute (now the California Institute of the Arts) to paint a mural on the side of a building on Olvera Street. The mural was commissioned as part of the city’s celebration of the bicentennial of George Washington’s birth. Siqueiros had a strong political vision, and the mural he created was no exception. Titled “America Tropical: Oprimida y Destrozada por los Imperialismos” (Tropical America: Oppressed and Destroyed by Imperialism), it showed an indigenous man crucified on a double cross, representing the oppression of Latin America by foreign powers.
The mural was highly controversial because it was anti-capitalist. It was originally intended to serve as a representation of Latin American countries and their indigenous populations. The artwork was meant to challenge the idealized image of America and expose the darker aspects of its history. However, the sentiments he expressed in his art only led to its censorship and deterioration. Just a few months after its completion, local authorities covered the mural with whitewash, claiming it was too radical and provocative for public display. For several decades, “America Tropical” remained hidden from view, fading away under layers of paint.
Luckily in the 70s, the Getty Conservation Institute initiated efforts to uncover and preserve the mural. After years of delicate restoration work, the mural was unveiled to the public once again in 2012, almost 80 years after its creation. Today, “America Tropical” is protected within an outdoor viewing platform designed by architect Michael Palladino. It serves as a powerful reminder of Siqueiros’ artistic and political legacy, as well as a symbol of the struggles faced by marginalized communities in the Americas.
In a world where murals are often overlooked and forgotten, I want to appreciate the histories and experiences they communicate. David Alfaro Siqueiros is simply one artist with one vision– there are so many more murals out there in the mural capital of America. Next time I pass by one, I want to explore the deeper meanings and capture the essence of what it really means. Art is a necessity– most think of it as something warm and light, but it is so much more. It is an essential part of who we are as a people, and a way we can relate to something bigger than ourselves.
Communicating Change 