This website is a starting point for understanding local El Paso murals in the context of the Mexican Mural Movement. It was created by students enrolled in Professor Goldman’s course, “History and Theory of Murals” in the Department of Art at the University of Texas at El Paso, Fall 2006.

The project is humble in its undertaking. A class of thirty-eight students worked in seven groups to research and write about murals of their choosing. Some groups chose murals of the Mexican Mural Movement; other groups choose local El Paso murals. Admittedly, there are gaps in both topics. Groups working on local murals were faced with subjects about which little or nothing has been published, and their commitment to interviewing artists, passersby, and, in one case, even making a video, is commendable. Groups working on Mexican murals faced the opposite problem: a wealth of material, much of it in Spanish. As with all group projects, some students did not complete the work on time, while others devoted themselves whole-heartedly to the project.

After surveying many websites, the students came up with a list of topics they wanted to address for each mural, including: History of Commission; Description and Analysis of Mural; Historical Context; Debates and Controversy; Remarks on Media; Restoration; Interviews; Photographs; and Test Your Knowledge. Not all murals address all topics, and, in fact, many murals only address a few. This website was created in the hopes that it will be expanded upon and developed by the Department of Art and other interested parties. Below please find a list of suggested research topics for any given mural.Students are responsible for all facets of research and writing, and authors’ names are indicated at the end of each text.

The project was funded by the Teachers for a New Era (TNE) Carnegie Foundation Mini-Grant, through the University of Texas at El Paso. The course was conducted in hybrid format, with students meeting face-to-face (in the classroom) on Tuesdays and online on Thursdays. This is the first time a hybrid course was taught in the Department of Art. The website is hosted by the ORION Ring, a high-speed internet connection in El Paso, serving the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD), the El Paso Community College (EPCC) and the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

The former Director of the Digital Media Center at UTEP, William Roberson, originally suggested that the ORION Ring would be a fitting portal for hosting the El Paso Online Mural Project, and we thank him for his input. Many thanks go to UTEP Art Department students Clarisse Tinajero, who designed the site; to her assistant, Alberto Campuzano; to Edgar Rodriguez, who edited the final WebPages; and to Daniel Lloyd Blunk, who edited the texts. Thanks also goes to Art Department Chair and Professor Gregory Elliott for his co-writing of the TNE Mini-Grant, and to Dr. David Novick,  Associate Provost for Facilities and Academic Support Services, for his help in finding a home for this project on the ORION Ring. Finally, many thanks go to the students of ARTH 3329 “History and Theory of Murals” for their willingness to participate in a pilot project and for all of their hard work.

• History of Commission
• Description of Figures
• Historical Context
• Debates/Controversy
• Remarks on Media
• Restoration
• Images of Mural
• Other Resources
• Video Interview
• Test Your Knowledge