Our Mural
1 media/15-926.jpg 2021-04-05T20:24:04-07:00 Curtis Fletcher 3225f3b99ebb95ebd811595627293f68f680673e 38706 3 Robert Curry103rd Street and San Pedro Street
1974 plain 2021-05-18T15:31:39-07:00 USC Digital Library 1974 (Artist) Curry, Robert 33.942986,-118.269539 Dunitz, Robin J. Curtis Fletcher 3225f3b99ebb95ebd811595627293f68f680673e
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Our Mural
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Robert Curry
103rd Street and San Pedro Street
1974 plain 2021-05-18T15:59:39-07:00 1974 33.942986,-118.269539 In this wall painting titled Our Mural, LA artist and youth counselor Robert Curry, conveys the rich African past of Black Americans and displays images of Black cultural pride and contemporary life. At the center of his mural lies a vibrant red silhouette of the continent of Africa. Curry illustrates three African figures -- a man, woman and child -- on the continent. The woman and child are dressed in modern, elegant African textiles and extravagant jewelry, while the man is a warrior holding a spear and shield.
Curry painted this mural in 1974, a time when Afrocentrism was beginning to gain legitimacy in America. The Afrocentric perspective encouraged members of the Black diaspora to appreciate the achievements of traditional African civilizations, and to articulate their own African history, untainted by white historical narratives. The movement influenced the work of many artists, and its influence is particularly evident in this mural. This is evident in Curry’s decision to place an illustration of the African continent at the center of his mural.
The right side of Our Mural is dedicated to portraying prominent African American civil rights leaders, while the left side of the mural depicts neighborhood children playing in front of the iconic Watts Towers. The tall palm trees illustrated in the background and the backdrop of the mountains to the right, further convey that the scenes depicted take place in the historic neighborhood of Watts. The conflicting images of past and present in this mural is significant, and is an attempt by Curry to try to connect the black community of Watts to their African past.
Curry’s vibrant mural is located only a few minutes away from the Watts Towers Art Center. Located in the heart of Watts, the Art center has provided programs designed for cultural enrichment to the local community, and has “served as a beacon of light for arts education and a conduit for social change.”
Written by Annas Omar, c/o ‘24
