Dead Murals Archives
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DC’s Long-lost Latino Murals
Join us for the community roundtable discussion of Washington’s Latino mural tradition this Wednesday evening, Sept. 24, in Columbia Heights. Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library.
Washington is home to a thriving Latino mural-making tradition but many beloved murals created over the last four decades no longer exist. Some were lost with the sale of the Wilson Center, which was the hub of Latino community organizing in the 1970s and 1980s. Others have fallen to neighborhood redevelopment and gentrification. Check out some of the artwork we’ve lost:
Wall of Dignity
This Georgia Avenue mural was created by Jorge Somarriba and teenagers from the Latin American Youth Center. On the left: Artist Jorge Somarriba at the mural’s inauguration in 1987. Both photos copyright Rick Reinhard
Travesía / The Crossing
A photo of the original maquette for this Centro de Arte mural designed by Carlos Arrien and painted in 1990 with youth participants at the Latin American Youth Center’s Summer Youth program. It was originally on display in the basement of what was then the Wilson Center, where the Centro de Arte also operated. While el Centro no longer exists, other groups such as LAYC and la Clinica del Pueblo, which began in the building, continue serving the community today. Photo copyright Carlos Arrien
América se descubre / America Discovers Itself
A mural designed by Carlos Arrien and created in 1991 with the Latin American Youth Center was once located on a wall in the courtyard of what was then the Wilson Center in Washington DC. Photo copyright Carlos Arrien
Latin Jazz
Jorge Somarriba designed this mural and led the team of community youths who painted it on a retaining wall facing the South parking lot at original Bell Multicultural High School on Hyatt Place behind the new Bell Multicultural High School building. Photo copyright Rick Reinhard
Temporary Columbia Heights Metro Mural
In 2002, Cheryl Foster designed this mural painted with members of the community at the 14th and Irving Streets NW construction site of the Columbia Heights Metro station. Photo of one part of the mural copyright DC Murals
La Casa Mural
Mariela Zacarias and LAYC created a mural on an exterior wall of La Casas homeless shelter in Columbia Heights in 2001. The mural–and the shelter–were demolished in 2010 when the building was redeveloped into an apartment building. Photo of mural detail copyright DC Murals
Welcome to the World of Columbia Heights
This is another defunct mural created by LAYC youths led by artist Mariela Zacarias. Photo copyright LAYC. Photo right shows what the building looks like today.
Join us for the community roundtable discussion of Washington’s Latino mural tradition this Wednesday evening, Sept. 24, in Columbia Heights. Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library.
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