Political wall murals in Chile
I was in Chile in 2009 and, on the basis of research I carried out there, published an aritlce on the murals of Santiago: '¡Hasta La Victoria!: Murals and Resistance in Santiago, Chile', Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, 18, 2011: 113–137. The abstract is as follows:
The article considers in detail mural painting in Santiago, Chile. It examines the history of mural painting, from the early days of support for Salvador Allende’s attempt to combat inequality and provide for the basic needs of all citizens, through the repression of the military dictatorship, to the reemergence of the phenomenon in the transition to democracy and up to the present day. It identitifes a range of themes in the contemporary murals: resistance to repression and misrepresentation, past and present; memorials to dead and disappeared people with varying degrees of fame; the situation of women (their roles in resistance and building the future, as well as their specific demands for an end to violence against women and for reproductive rights); and the struggle of the indigenous Mapuche people of Chile for recognition and justice. Analysis explores examples of murals on each of these themes from a number of areas throughout Santiago, with a particular focus on La Victoria, an area noted for solidarity in the face of state repression and the inequalities fostered by neoliberalism.
The photographs below appear in the article; all photographs have been taken by me.
The article considers in detail mural painting in Santiago, Chile. It examines the history of mural painting, from the early days of support for Salvador Allende’s attempt to combat inequality and provide for the basic needs of all citizens, through the repression of the military dictatorship, to the reemergence of the phenomenon in the transition to democracy and up to the present day. It identitifes a range of themes in the contemporary murals: resistance to repression and misrepresentation, past and present; memorials to dead and disappeared people with varying degrees of fame; the situation of women (their roles in resistance and building the future, as well as their specific demands for an end to violence against women and for reproductive rights); and the struggle of the indigenous Mapuche people of Chile for recognition and justice. Analysis explores examples of murals on each of these themes from a number of areas throughout Santiago, with a particular focus on La Victoria, an area noted for solidarity in the face of state repression and the inequalities fostered by neoliberalism.
The photographs below appear in the article; all photographs have been taken by me.
La Victoria, Santiago. Muralistas de Acción Rebelde mural celebrating fiftieth anniversary of the toma.
La Victoria, Santiago. Unidades Muralistas Camilo Torres mural of Chileans fighting repression.
La Victoria, Santiago. Memorial mural for Padre André Jarlán, painted by Muralistas Acción Rebelde.
Memorial to Araceli Romo and Pablo Vergara, Villa Francia, Santiago.
Unidades Muralistas Camilo Torres mural celebrating centenary of birth of Salvador Allende, La Legua, Santiago
Urracas de Emaus, Santiago. BRP mural depicting Chilean heroes.
La Victoria, Santiago. Mural against violence against women.
Mural, La Legua, Santiago, in support of hunger strike of Mapuche activist Patricia Troncoso.
Mural, Lo Hermida, Santiago. Memorial to Mapuche activist Alex Lemun.
