Si Se Puede

17ft x 9ft, 2019

Spray paint on primed brick wall

Native Hostel, Austin, TX

Dolores Clara Fernández Huerta is an American labor leader and civil rights activist who, with Cesar Chavez, is a co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers. She coined the phrase “Si Se Puede,” although it is commonly attributed to Cesar Chavez, who is depicted in a mural already just a few blocks away on the street by the same name in Austin.

I and 14 other artists came together to paint this total 2,000+ square foot collaborative mural with the theme “Art fostering empathy and compassion.” I chose to depict a positive message of peace with a civil rights icon to educate and celebrate. The colorful red roses are representative of her passion and sacrifice for her cause, as well as a symbol of promise and hope, with new beginnings always in bloom.

In conjunction with Facebook AIR Augmented Reality artist Alie Jackson, the roses were digitized to bloom with the phrase "Si Se Puede" and Dolores Huerta's name animated on the mural as you engage it via QR code with your smartphone video camera. This memorable, collaborative effort was made possible by the organization of the Hope Outdoor Gallery and is free for the public thanks to funding from the Facebook Artist-In-Residence program.

FORMERLY LOCATED AT

Native Hostel

807 E 4th St, Austin, TX 78702