Afro Colombian Mural

The Afro Latin mural was breathtaking. The colors were vibrant and every inch of the painting had immense meaning. The Afro-Colombian mural was completed in 2009 by Joel Bergner who is an award winning mural artist. Joel did research on the Afro-Colombian community by gathering information from Afro Colombians in the Washington, DC area! He was also able to gain the support of the DC Commission on the Arts & Humanities for funding. Brightly splashed across many walls, Bergners’ murals can be seen in many cities. Most of them are located in the metropolitan area of DC and Maryland, but others can be found in San Francisco, Mexico and Brazil.

While I don’t know much about the Colombian culture or its people’s history, the mural gave me some insight. The color of the people’s skin was most magnifying. The fact that their skin was of a darker pigmentation confirms that they are a people of the African Diaspora. Also, on the right side of the mural, you could see that the lives of Colombians were vibrant and full of life. Children were playing, music was playing, and adults were having a good time. The country was illuminated by the rays of the sun, the trees were beautiful, flowers were out in full bloom, and the aura was festive.

In opposition, the left side of the mural told a different story. Fully armored troops were perched in bushes and others were man handling the citizens that were once seen on the right side of the mural. Everyone now has a horrified look on their faces and the sorrow emitting from their faces speaks of persecution and dismantled lives. In addition, on the top, right corner of the mural you could see the people running to a nearby village, but the village seems rural and clearly they did not want to go.

In closing, the mural was very insightful and easy on the eyes! It was absolutely beautiful and for a moment I forgot about the 10 block walk and appreciated what the mural was relaying to the community. I think it was trying to tell people that Afro Colombians are a force in the Black community just as they are in the Latin community. They are a people worthy of recognition and their story needs to be brought to the forefront.