It is clear that places that are loved and appreciated are often adorned with art. This fall, the city center of Harris County will be displaying nine larger-than-life works of art as part of the Big Art project. This project was funded in part by TotalEnergies, a global company with an office in Houston, and was conceived by Harris County District 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis. Ellis then organized an art walk in downtown Houston, which resulted in the Big Art project.
Yolanda Arcos Rodriguez Black, the eldest daughter of Velia Arcos Rodriguez Black, founder of the Villa Arcos restaurant, was responsible for making the restaurant one of the pillars of political promoters and agitators. She began her political career as a teenager and volunteered to get the Latino vote in favor of John F. Kennedy. Her work with the ultralocal organization had a lasting impact on her life.
Unfazed by the discrimination she faced, she pursued higher education and graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Business Administration, while working full time and raising a baby. In the late 90s, Harris County saw an emergence of graffiti culture, which has since become an important part of its art scene. From graffiti artists to muralists, this form of art has become increasingly popular in recent years. The Goce mural is one example of this trend.
It is part of the Bigger Change Project, a collaboration between Central Houston, Inc. and Street Art for Mankind, a global non-profit organization that seeks to bring about social change through art. The objective of this article is to explore the nature of this emerging art form known as “street art” and to trace some of the differences between street art, public art and “mere” graffiti. The festival is produced by UP Art Studio, a public art consultant and facilitator who has played a fundamental role in creating hundreds of murals and art installations in Houston, including the Mini Murals project.
Muralists from around the world have painted a series of murals on nine downtown buildings with the goal of inspiring social and environmental change. Case Maclaim's sixth mural, entitled “King of Road” is a powerful ode to social equity, breaking boundaries and accessing new opportunities for all. Mundano raises awareness about the difficult situation of garbage collectors in Brazil with its Pimp My Carroça project, designed to beautify their carts and send a social message about waste, consumption and its impact on those around us. The non-linear collection of murals in commercial buildings covers more than 1 mile from the city center and was created to promote the sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, which include green energy, human rights, social equity and education for all.
The firm also uses murals as a tool to improve communities and helps graffiti artists develop careers as internationally recognized artists. The goal of most graffiti writers is to gain as much notoriety within the graffiti community as possible. The fourth mural completed by Victor Ash is entitled “Human Rights” and highlights Houston's firm commitment to ensuring freedom, peace and social justice for all, as well as its ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking. The presence of murals and graffiti has had a positive impact on Harris County's local economy. It has helped create jobs for local artists while also inspiring social change through its messages about green energy, human rights, social equity and education for all.
It has also helped promote tourism in Harris County by providing visitors with a unique experience through its self-guided tour app called “Behind the Wall” which includes interviews with the artists, descriptions of the murals and more. In conclusion, it can be said that murals and graffiti have had a positive impact on Harris County's local economy by creating jobs for local artists while also inspiring social change through its messages about green energy, human rights, social equity and education for all.
