Chicano Park

Chicano Park

The first time I went to Chicano Park was in March of 2015 while on a service project to San Diego with Fordham University’s Global Outreach Program. At the time, the park’s art felt life-changing. However, a lot on this project seemed life-changing, so I am not sure if my perception of Chicano Park is warped by rose-colored glasses. My opportunity to figure out the true impact of Chicano Park came again as I visited a friend in San Diego in August 2019. 

The park itself consists of murals pained under the merge between Interstate 5 and the Coronado Bridge entrance. It is hard to miss the bright and colorful images that I have come to associate with Mexican art as I drew nearer to the park. The feeling I got seeing the art on my horizon reminded me of my favorite TV quote, “… [it] made me feel warm inside like glitter was exploding inside me.”1 My first mission was to find all the murals that had stuck with me from my list visit. I found this one mural that reminds me of the Atlas story as this figure is position like he is holding up the entire highway just as Atlas held the Earth. I made my own (terrible) painting of this piece simply because I loved the colors so much. 

Atlas-esq figure and my painting

As I explored, I realized that my mindset going through this park was, unsurprisingly, different than it was four years ago in 2015. This time around, I was very excited to find Frida Kahlo, the queen of Mexican art (in my mind) herself, had her own wall. I had just finished a book about Kahlo’s work and contributions to surrealism despite claiming not to be a surrealist herself. However, I think my delay in recognizing the presence of a greatly known artist like Kahlo until my second park visit emphasizes even more the power of the other murals. During my first visit, I was impressed by the art not because it was a name that I recognized, but because I appreciate the style and color of the art itself. Ever since I learned about names like Francisco de Goya and Jan Vermeer, it seems like I automatically appreciate something more when I know the artist. “Ah yes,” I tell myself, “It’s a Modigliani; it must be good!”

To me, the sign of good art is when you experience very raw and strong emotions. Chicano Park houses one of the few images and quotes that has stuck with me for my longterm life. Unfortunately for me, my favorite mural was more difficult to find. I scoured through the park in a frenzy, wondering if this piece had somehow been removed or painted over. To my delight, I spotted it just as I was about to quit and leave. The image is Cesar Chavez, a Latino civil rights activist in the mid-1900s, and a quote of his about how revolution should be guided by love. To paraphrase Chavez’s quote, I’ll conclude by saying that, not matter how sappy it may sound, love drives our actions. I love the art of Chicano Park and love does not always need to be justified. 

Cesar Chavez mural

1. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, "Josh Just Happens to Live Here!” Directed by Marc Webb. Written by Rachel Bloom and Aline Brosh McKenna. The CW, October 12, 2015