Tag: chicano park

Mural for Art Alive in Balboa Park!

This very beautiful outdoor mural appeared several days ago in Balboa Park. You can’t miss the bright colors as you approach the San Diego Museum of Art.

Visitors to Balboa Park can use the butterfly for a selfie backdrop. The butterfly artwork enlivens the Plaza de Panama near the entrance of Panama 66, close to the spot where augmented reality artwork had been installed until recently. The colorful new mural promotes the San Diego Museum of Art’s big upcoming Art Alive 2025 event!

I see the artist is German Corrales aka Butterfly Man (@germancorralesarte), a well-known Chicano Park muralist.

Art Alive 2025 is coming April 24–27, 2025. The super popular event fills the San Diego Museum of Art with lavish floral displays and raises funds for the museum. Find out more about Art Alive by clicking here!

…

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Barrio Logan exhibit during Archives Month!

We are now in the middle of San Diego City Clerk’s 6th Annual Archives Month!

Through October 18th, 2024, the public can experience a fascinating San Diego City Clerk Archives exhibit concerning the history of Barrio Logan. Extensive displays can be viewed just inside the front entrance of San Diego’s downtown City Administration Building, at 202 C Street.

The exhibit is titled Telling Our Stories–Preserving Our Histories: The Chicano Movement in San Diego. It features photographs, articles and City Clerk documents that pertain to the culturally rich Barrio Logan neighborhood and how it has changed over time. There is an emphasis on the creation of Chicano Park, the work of Chicano activists, the origin and influence of Neighborhood House, and the tuna canning industry that once thrived in Barrio Logan down by the water.

In addition, there’s a video that visitors to the exhibit are invited to watch. It shows how residents were adversely affected by the construction of Interstate 5 and the Coronado Bay Bridge, and how they worked together to help preserve the community’s identity and establish Chicano Park.

The exhibit is curated by the San Diego City Clerk Archives in partnership with the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center.

I enjoyed looking at the displays and learning important facets of San Diego history. I encourage anyone who travels downtown to check it out. The City Administration Building is open on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Here are a few photographs that I took…

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Students create murals inspired by Chicano Park!

Yesterday, at the Chicano Park Day event in Barrio Logan, I stepped into the Turning Wheel Mobile Classroom, which was parked next to the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. What, I wondered, was this University of San Diego community outreach program up to?

I was greeted by Drawing/Painting teacher and Chicano Park Fellow Miss Jessi Rogawski, plus two of her exceptional Lincoln High School students!

I learned that about 70 students in Miss Jessi’s classes have learned how to create murals, inspired by poster art in the Chicano Park Day Poster Archive.

Students choose a favorite poster, analyze it, then produce their own original sketches, inspired by the poster design. Through a multi-stage process, including enlargement and color mapping, the sketches would evolve into finished murals!

What a great opportunity for young people to learn both the history of Chicano Park, activate their imagination, collaborate, and develop their creative skills!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Muralists celebrated at Chicano Park Day!

Paintings by many muralists on display during Chicano Park Day.

The Chicano Park Mural Restoration Project is currently underway, and many of the artists contributing to the massive effort were celebrated yesterday at the 54th Annual Chicano Park Day event in Barrio Logan.

A section of the Chicano Park Day event was dedicated to these talented creators, many of whom had their own canopies along Logan Avenue. They were showing and selling artwork, and even painting new work as people watched!

One long wall was filled with paintings by many of the participating muralists, exhibiting their diverse styles. A coloring book filled with art by fourteen of the artists was also available for creative kids.

I met a few of the muralists…

Roberto R. Pozos shows art that honors his Mexican-American heritage at 2024 Chicano Park Day.

Shirish Villaseñor smiles and creates a new painting at Chicano Park Day. (You might recall seeing her artwork in front of the Hilton on the new Bay to Park Paseo.)

Some of Shirish’s art.

Carmen Linares-Kalo is surrounded by her spiritual art at Chicano Park Day. Her work includes a mural that honors the Kumeyaay people.

Mario Torero, renowned muralist and a co-founder of Chicano Park, with a big smile. He contributed to more than 20 of the original murals and leads other artists during the restoration project.

Mario Torero created this poster art over 30 years ago for 1993 Chicano Park Day. Peace in Our World. Struggle for Justice.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Photos of 54th Annual Chicano Park Day.

Please enjoy this collection of photographs taken today during the 54th Annual Chicano Park Day event in Barrio Logan.

For 2024, the theme of Chicano Park Day was Bringing Back the True Spirit and Energy of the Chicano Park Takeover. As I walked about, I saw that spirit and energy!

The event by all appearances is more popular than ever. A huge crowd surrounded the central Kioko to experience diverse performances, including Azteca and folklorico dancing and poetry readings. There were also speeches about the history of Chicano Park and the struggles and pride represented in its murals.

All around Chicano Park one could meet artists (including some of the renowned muralists), learn about community organizations, support local businesses, check out lowriders and other cool cars (and motorcycles and bicycles!), listen to live music, ride a fun little train for kids, and eat lots of great Mexican food.

And, of course, above all, there were the world-famous murals!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Huge gathering of lowriders for Chicano Park Day!

A large number of amazing lowriders and custom cars arrived in Barrio Logan today for Chicano Park Day. The 54th Annual Chicano Park Day celebration seemed bigger than ever, and lowrider car culture is always an integral part of the popular event.

Car clubs from all around San Diego and Southern California participated. Their carefully tended, gleaming machines were shining in the sunshine and attracting the attention of the huge Chicano Park Day crowd.

I wandered about, marveling at it all, and took these photos…

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Celebrating restored Virgin of Guadalupe in Chicano Park.

Chicano Park, a National Historic Landmark in San Diego, is experiencing a renaissance. Many of the outdoor murals that were painted in the late 1970s are being carefully restored.

One of the first murals to be restored is very beautiful. La Virgen de Guadalupe was originally painted by artist Mario Torero in 1978. Its two month renovation was recently completed by Mario with the help of several assistants, including close members of his family. Today many gathered to celebrate and rededicate this truly extraordinary mural.

The dedication ceremony included indigenous dance (Danza Azteca) and a blessing by Father Neal “Pepe” Wilkinson of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Mario Torero and his family members then spoke about the mural–of its inspiration, creation, symbolism and importance. How it represents hope for many in the community–particularly those who are in need.

Mario Torero spoke of his experience when he once touched this painted image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He could feel that the many prayers made before the mural were alive. Everything about the place and moment felt perfect. It changed him.

Words printed on the mural state: For 45 years this monolith has kept hope and faith alive for so many people. We are sure that many miracles have been manifested.

I can say that when you stand before this glowing Virgin of Guadalupe, you feel the light she brings forth.

The next photograph is from nine years ago. It’s how the mural then appeared. A comparison shows that beautiful imagery (eagle and condor wings) and color have been added during the recent renovation…

And today…

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!

Pillars exhibit at the Chicano Park Museum!

Have you ever visited the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center in Barrio Logan? During my recent visit I was surprised to find a fantastic exhibit inside, titled PILLARS: Stories of Resilience and Self-Determination.

Two large rooms are filled with colorfully painted pillars that resemble the towering supports of the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge just outside the museum.

While the outdoor pillars are home to the many famous murals of Chicano Park, these miniature indoor pillars pay homage to diverse groups that have worked to preserve the legacy and integrity of the local community, and the park itself. The exhibit also features related works of art, and historical photos of community members and artists (particularly Visionary Elder Artist, Salvador Roberto Torres) and their grassroots fight against the powers-that-be to create Chicano Park.

The Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center contains other great exhibits, too, and its corridors are brimming with work by many different artists. I was interested to observe a community event room, a workspace containing printing equipment for the production of fine art, and a large gift shop that’s also filled wall-to-wall with artwork that you can purchase!

If you never been, make sure to check the museum out! Go soon, however, because PILLARS: Stories of Resilience and Self-Determination will be on display through September 9, 2023.

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Restoring many murals in Chicano Park!

About a week ago I was privileged to be shown many outdoor murals that are currently being restored in world-famous Chicano Park. What I observed were artists and volunteers working on the Chicano Park Mural Restoration Project 2023.

New color and vibrancy were being applied by many brushes. Preserving these historic murals, which speak vividly of struggle, resilience, and accomplishment by members of the Chicano, Latino, Mexican migrant and Indigenous communities, is an important undertaking. Chicano Park has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

Over 15 murals are to be fully restored in collaboration with the original artists. In the next photo you can see Mario Torero, who painted many of the Chicano Park murals.

I encourage anyone in San Diego who has never experienced Chicano Park to swing on by and wander among the monumental artwork. History, culture and decades of activism in the pursuit of civil rights will make an unforgettable impression.

I was amazed when I learned a group of three artists that painted a mural in 1977 as young women are now restoring their beautiful mural, almost half a century later! They call themselves Mujeres Muralistas. Watch an interview of the artists here. You can see their inspired work in my final two photographs!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Our Walls Speak during mural event in San Diego!

An exciting event is coming to San Diego next week!

From Wednesday, May 17 to Sunday, May 21, the many colorful murals that reflect Chicano history and culture in several of our city’s communities will be celebrated with a special tour, workshops, lectures, dance, poetry and more!

Our Walls Speak is the name of this free event. Those who participate will have the opportunity to experience not only Chicano Park’s famous murals, but other murals in nearby communities. Participants will come away inspired, understanding the importance and meaning of these empowering works of art, and the need to preserve them.

According to the event website: This year’s 2023 “Our Walls Speak!: Nuestros Muros Hablan!”, event features four days of live and virtual panel/community discussions, artist and elder interviews and storytelling, and mural art exhibitions. Download and attend a neighborhood mural walk/drive/tour through the San Diego neighborhoods of Logan Heights, Sherman Heights and Golden Hills communities. Join us on Sunday May 21st for youth and family mural art workshops, spoken word, music and dance movement performances and local street food vendors serving healthy and delicious recipes.

To see the many free activities that can be enjoyed over the course of five days, and to register for Our Walls Speak, click here!

…

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!