The mural I chose to write about is in Balmy alley in San Francisco. I chose to do a mural from the city instead of a traditional piece of artwork because it represents the point of view of a whole community instead of one persons view on things. Most paintings in the mission district of San Francisco depict something relating to the struggle of being in contemporary America when you’re not originally from here. While other paintings are not clearly representing anything, they are just a contemporary piece of artwork. Either way murals in the mission have their own very distinct style unlike any other street art.
The piece of artwork I chose is a painting of a group of Hispanic people all standing in a group holding their fists up. There are people of all ages in the group but the most noticeable person in the group is an older woman holding an infant in one hand and holding her fist up with the other hand. In my point of view the woman is representing the struggle of trying to be a proud American while still respecting her heritage. The part of the painting that catches the eye the most is a profile view of a woman’s head looking into the distance, holding a chain in her hand. And finally a woman with her face in her hands is blended into the same person who is holding the chain; almost representing both sides of her feelings. One part of her wants to stay strong and fight through the struggles and the other side just wants to give up and weep. It could be a metaphoric representation of being locked down in society. Not being able to do what one really wants but instead conforming to societies view of them. It could represent the political or social message of struggle and empowerment in America. The painting induces an uplifting feeling and the feeling of hope. It reminds people to fight through the hard times and stick together through the thick and the thin. This mural can be viewed in many different ways but compared to Schapiro’s model
