English practice 2
The Latino Murals of Los Angeles The Mexican-American artist Judith Baca credits her family for her artistic inspiration. She was raised by her mother and grandmother, themselves in1 a vibrant Latino community in East Los Angeles. Her art is thus a tribute to her family's past as well as to her cultural heritage, which she believes her art embodies2 the spirit of Los Angeles.
Baca studied art both in Los Angeles and Cuernavaca, Mexico. Her chosen field of art, the mural,3 has long been a part of Mexican artistic culture, and has experienced a popular revival in Los Angeles in recent years.4 She has gained fame for her colorful murals depicting episodes from Latino history, many of which can be found in the Los Angeles area.
5 Moreover, the recent popularity of the mural as a form of art is often linked to the prevalence of graffiti in urban areas. Some of the earliest examples of modern murals, such as Willie Herrón's The Wall That Cracked Open, was7 treated as graffiti, rather than art. Many muralists remain anonymous, and their works tend to be in public places. Some murals political messages8 also made people uneasy about this art form in the early days of its resurgence. Today, however, city officials often hire known muralists such as Baca to create masterpieces on government property. Because of their size, murals often require the assistance of other artists and, as evidence.9 sometimes become community efforts. Murals are also a way for people to connect their cultural past with their present10 reality, by using traditional figures to tell modern stories.
It is this community involvement that has helped sway the minds of officials, as well as the realization that many murals convey positive messages. Some depict scenes of multicultural harmony, they are inspired11 by the neighborhoods in which they are situated. Others show scenes of past successes by members of the community.12 Still others strive to depict the historic achievements of the generations past. 13 then she also had one younger brother available to the viewer. They're successes,15 Baca suggests, can be yours.
