by Unlike most of the murals in New Orleans which are on a much smaller scale and many appear to be done by gifted amateurs, these murals in Tucson take up entire sides of large buildings and they were clearly created by experienced muralists.
As a newcomer to Tucson, I cannot tell you how long ago they were created, but the ones I’ll show you here, all appear to be relatively new. And, I assume, protected by some kind of sun-blocking coating. The colors are amazingly vibrant.
Tucson’s most famous muralist
These whales swimming across the desert landscape are on the side of an old, closed theater building that must be at least 30 feet high. This corner of Campbell and Grant is tentatively being developed into an entertainment/food center. I hope so. It’s just a few blocks from my home. The muralist is Joe Pagac, currently one of Tucson’s most famous living artists.
Having recently moved from Pasadena where the Jet Propulsion Lab (the builders of the Mars landers) is located I was a bit surprised to see a space travel mural in Tucson. Then I remembered that missile builder Raytheon is a major employer in the city. Missiles and space exploration go together–right? Raytheon also builds rockets for long distance warfare. They are an important employer in Tucson.
A smaller mural hidden away
These two photos, above and below, are of a Mermaid and Cactus mural tucked away on Pennington Street downtown. The banner in both Spanish and English beneath them reads: “You are my other me”.
A fading beauty
A Latina with an agave growing from her head. This mural, painted in 2017, is 4 stories high and very Tucson. Almost half the city’s population regards themselves as Latino, mostly of Mexican ancestry. The woman depicted is the girlfriend of the artist, Rock “Cyfi” Martinez. And, sadly, by 2023 it is clearly fading.
This is my favorite! Two cyclists followed by a javelina, a desert tortoise, and a jackalope on bikes racing across the desert into daylight. It’s about 20-25 feet tall and a half-block long. In addition to celebrating obvious things like cowboys, Latinas, and desert animals, it is a reminder about the Tour de Tucson cycling race that circles the city in November. The artist is Joe Pagac.
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