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n 281 GEORGE VARGAS CitySpirit: A People’s Mural in Detroit’s Mexicantown For more than 30 years, thousands of viewers, both residents and visitors , have enjoyed Detroit’s oldest standing outdoor Mexican American / Chicano mural, commonly known as CitySpirit. An example of public art well integrated with a living space, the mural is prominently located on a busy street corner in Mexicantown, a vibrant Detroit community possessing the largest concentration of Latinos/Chicanos in Michigan. Painted in 1979 by Michigan muralists Martin Moreno (who now lives in Arizona) and me (I now teach in Texas), the mural has been cherished and protected by the neighborhood since its birth, surviving urban construction and the ravages of time. Today, CitySpirit remains a major monument that is an integral part of the city’s growing public art scene. Moreover, CitySpirit is a visual metaphor that symbolizes the unfolding history and cultural identity of Mexicantown and its inhabitants. At another level, it represents a multicultural or world view, reflecting the racial/ethnic mixed culture of Detroit’s metropolitan population and the world at large. In this essay I offer a brief history and iconographic analysis of the mural to help readers better understand, and, I hope, better appreciate the significance of 282 n George Vargas CitySpirit—a living example of contemporary American public art situated in a multicultural city. History In the summer of 1979, the Hubbard Richard Agency in Detroit commissioned Michigan artists Martin Moreno and me to create an outdoor mural on their building located at the corner of Saint Anne (Ste. Anne) and Bagley Streets, in an effort to decorate the heavily trafficked corner. I was familiar with this area in southwest Detroit, having previously directed various art and educational programs in Mexicantown. Upon receiving the mural commission, I immediately pictured a public mural beautifying this popular street corner.1 Located in el corazon del barrio, the heart of the Latino community, the mural site is surrounded by a growing, diverse racial/ethnic population, all living in the shadow of the great Ambassador Bridge, the border crossing that links the United FIGURE 1. CitySpirit Mural. Martin Moreno and George Vargas, 1979. Hubbard Richard Building, Detroit, Mexicantown. Reproduced with the permission of the artists. Photo by George Vargas, 2005. A People’s Mural in Detroit’s Mexicantown n 283 States and Canada. More than mere wall decoration, the mural paints a portrait of one of Detroit’s culturally rich neighborhoods, which also is the home base for many of the city’s immigrants. From the start the mural project generated lots of excitement and support in the neighborhood with both residents and community organizations contributing to its progress. Neighborhood activist Carolina Ramon directed the mural project and recruited community members to help Martin and me with the general design. I had more time to start up the Detroit mural project than Moreno, who was busy painting murals in Adrian, Michigan, so I worked with Carolina to seek resources and funding. I also met with community residents to request their support and input before we started the scaled drawing for the mural. Carolina soon secured funds from the National Endowment for the Arts City Spirit Program, coordinated by Detroit’s Cultural Arts Department. Ste. Anne’s Catholic Church donated the use of its scaffolding in an effort to help the community that the church has long served. The mural as a work in progress acted as a magnet, attracting positive energy. Throughout its creation, neighbors brought gifts of food and drink as we worked on the scaffolding in the heat of summer’s sun. Curious youngsters asked questions; many had never seen a mural in progress. Local artists frequently stopped by to note progress and make suggestions. Others familiar with the murals of Los Tres Grandes (“The Big Three”—Mexican modern artists Orozco, Rivera, and Siqueiros) visited the mural site to share their observations about art and politics. To our delight, residents and visitors alike praised our work, as we painted through the summer months. When observers asked questions, we took the time to describe the mural and its meaning; the scaffold became our lectern. As the painting neared completion, many residents perceived the mural as pure art. Others proudly pointed to the painted wall and called it a “pretty picture” that represented their unique neighborhood. Finished in late fall of the same year, the mural was soon dedicated at a lively celebration and was well received by the...

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