Alejandro López
Chicano Muralist
Spanish-Speaking Nuevo Mexicano and Chicano
Santa Cruz, NM
“Murals bring to our attention an uplifting vision for the future, the drama of timeless human pursuits and the grandeur of our earth. As humans, we need beauty and creations of compelling interest as much as we need breath or food!”
Alejandro López
"The Gift of Corn", finished mural, Española, NM, 2022. Photo by Alejandro López
Context, Alejandro López painting "Web of Life" Mural. Photo by Anthony War
Completed “Web of Life” mural, Española, NM, 2023. Long thin image with Native American youth at either end. Photo by Alejandro López
“Spring Planting in northern New Mexico” mural. Mural with two girls wetting their hands in an irrigation acequia (local irrigation canal) with flowing water. Photo by Alejandro López
Alejandro López painting "Web of Life' mural, Española, NM, 2023. Photo by Anthony War
Context, Alejandro López painting "Web of Life" Mural. Photo by Anthony War
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Painting scenes of physical, cultural and spiritual regeneration.
Alejandro López of Santa Cruz, New Mexico, composes intricate photo collages of the traditional life ways of his centuries-old, Spanish-speaking, Nuevo Mexicano community. He translates this imagery into large-scale murals in a town undergoing seismic-size growing pains. López, and other regional artists, are responsible for twenty murals in the old, semi-abandoned downtown of Española. López alone is responsible for ten.
Rarely does he veer from the theme of caretaking and respecting the Earth. He brings to life scenes of people working various disciplines related to the physical, cultural and spiritual regeneration of a once holistic, self-sufficient, land-based society; one that he experienced growing up on the farm that he still cares for and which functions as the taproot for his creations.
López has supported his artistic output as a photojournalist, magazine editor, university professor in Chicano Studies and as a program administrator for non profits such as AmeriCorps and the National Indian Youth Leadership Project. He has also worked as language interpreter for visiting Nobel Peace Prize laureates and Indigenous leaders from Latin America.
López’ decision to pursue public art making was influenced by internationally celebrated arts activist, Lily Yeh, Barefoot Artists, Philadelphia, Pa., with whom he studied and worked. Paolo Freire, Brazilian community educator whom he had the pleasure of meeting also contributed to this decision. López holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Corcoran School of Art in Washington D.C. and a Masters in Arts Education degree from the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Pa.
What importance do murals hold in a community?
The painting of a new mural in town signals the arrival of much needed hope and positive change for everyone. A surge of energy and excitement always surges through the community when it sees its members working enthusiastically on an inspiring work of public art.
Murals bring to our attention an uplifting vision for the future, the drama of timeless human pursuits and the grandeur of our earth. As humans, we need beauty and creations of compelling interest as much as we need breath or food!
What does the Taproot Fellowship mean to you and how will it affect your practice?
It seems that for most of my life dedicated to artistic production I have been sailing against the wind. This is the first big gust that I have received headed my way. Simply the acknowledgment of the value of my work has already prompted me to go deeper into my artistic exploration and to relegate it to a more important place in my life.
The financial support is certainly going to enable me to devote quality time to the further development of my work. It will also encourage and allow me to give back more to my community in terms of working directly with young, frequently, troubled individuals, to help them develop skills and forms of expression that will enable them to fly above the fray of our times.
Working alongside other Taproot fellows will be deeply informative and inspiring!
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Alejandro López
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