Cristian Gonzalez
A very cool thing you can find in the United States are the best murals in East Los Angeles, where you can see the artworks of the great Chicano community in the North American country. You can learn many things about Chicano culture through the art of its muralists.
While there are many fantastic museums to visit in Los Angeles, you can also visit these enormous, stunning, full of history murals that are free to watch at any time and as many times as you like.
Murals to Visit in East Los Angeles
At JefeBet we bring you a countdown of the best and most famous murals in East Los Angeles.
5.- Mexico-Tenochtitlan: a time and culture sequence
The creators of this mural are Andy Ledesma, John Zender Estrada, Rafael Corona, Jaime Ochoa, Dominic Ochoa, Isabel Martinez, Oscar De Leon, Mario Mancia, Jesse Silva, Anthony Ortega and Jerry Ortega.
This is one of the best murals, also known as “The Talking Wall,” and it features a combination of Aztec, Mayan, Native American, and African symbols, as well as symbols from other cultures, creating an illustration that intends to convey the message of unity among all people, regardless of their origins.
The mural is composed of a design which depicts the creation of life, a depiction of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, and other figures.
You can find it at 6037 N. Figueroa Street and Avenue 61, 90042.
4.- Muro que Habla, Canta y Grita (The Talking, Singing and Shouting Wall)
The artists who created this mural are Paul Botello, Gerardo Herrera, Adalberto Ortiz and Gustave Sanchez.
The Tigres del Norte commissioned this mural; for those unfamiliar, they are a popular norteño band depicted on the left side of the wall. This complex and beautiful mural touches on themes such as resistance, immigration, scientific advances, family life, as well as key historical figures in the Chicano community.
You can find it at Ruben F. Salazar Park, 3864 Whittier Blvd, 90023.
3.- No somos una minoría (We are not a minority)
The artists who created the mural are El Congreso de Artistas Cosmicos de la Americas de San Diego (Mario Teror, Rocky, El Líon, Zade).
This is a tribute to Che Guevara that is based on Mario Teror’s black and white silkscreen which read “You are not a minority”, but the artists of the mural changed the “you” to “we” to be more inclusive.
This significant mural serves as a motto for all communities that are constantly branded as minorities, but in reality aren’t, and are an integral part of the country’s economic and social progress. The mural is located inside Estrada Courts, considered the birthplace of the Chicano art movement.
You can locate it at Estrada Courts, 3217 W. Olympic, 90023
2.- Orale! Let’s Cruise on Over to Progression, Aye!
The artist who created the mural is Sergio Robledo. This mural was commissioned by the owners of First Street Pool & Billiard, Orale!
This mural features the smiling faces of Wayne and David Botello, who were founding members of the muralist collective Los Dos Streetscapers.
In muralist Robledo’s creative depiction of the two artists, the two are seated in a car similar to the one they painted in their 1983 mural “Llenándose de energías antiguas”. As this car heads west, a deity inspired by Tlalocayotl, Aztec god of the East Wind, watches over them.
You can find it at First Street Pool & Billiard, 1906 E 1st St., 90033
1.- Vanessa Guillén Homage
Sand One, an East LA local, was in charge of creating the art for this mural.
Vanessa Guillen’s image is part of a long-standing wall tradition of honoring those who have died. The painting depicts a long-eyed US Army soldier who was brutally murdered by a fellow soldier at Fort Hood, Texas, in April 2020.
By way of protest, Sand One transformed Guillén into one of its emblematic dolls, to commemorate not only her life, but her tragic death, so that the memory will persist.
You can find it at 498 S Ford Blvd East, 90022.
