The conversation surrounding street art is deeply nuanced, particularly when it comes to the longevity of murals.
As this artistic medium transitions its reputation from illicit vandalism to revered public art, the regulation surrounding it is becoming ever more stringent.
Contracts are now commonplace, dictating the duration a mural can remain on display before it is replaced, often leading to tensions between artists and local authorities.
One poignant instance of this was observed in Denver when David Ocelotl Garcia’s mural, “El Milagro,” or “The Miracle,” painted in 2021 on the Bob Ragland Library in RiNo Art Park, faced an unexpected fate.
Garcia had created the mural without knowledge of its temporary status, leading to what he deemed an untimely end last year.
Yet, the erasure of his work gave rise to another miracle—an even deeper connection to community through art.
In 2021, a now-defunct health care technology startup called Olive financed the creation of a mural for Denver’s Tepeyac Health Clinic.
Tepeyac is a nonprofit community health center that since 1995 has provided healthcare to underserved communities.
Originally founded in Globeville, the clinic is now based roughly a mile and a half northeast of RiNo in Elyria Swansea.
The depiction of the Miracle of Tepeyac, rooted in the tale of Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin receiving a vision of Our Lady of Guadalupe, served as a particular inspiration for Jim Garcia, the clinic’s founder.
He identified the initial vision for accessible healthcare as a miracle in itself, thus naming the clinic after this significant narrative.
Garcia noted that while the story traditionally speaks to Mexican cultural heritage, he sought to create a mural that told a broader narrative reflective of local experiences.
“All my energy went into using that original story as a reference,” Garcia stated, emphasizing the importance of local relevance in his designs.
A magical story associated with the clinic’s past further inspired Garcia’s mural design.
A volunteer, an older man with arthritis, worked on the clinic’s construction and claimed to experience a miraculous moment when a profound smell of roses enveloped him, leading to a complete recovery from his ailment.
Garcia was captivated by this story when he was informed by Jim Garcia and believed it had to find a place in the mural.
“That’s what murals are for. They’re not just necessarily literal interpretations. They’re to create inspiration,” Garcia commented, affirming the narrative purpose of his art.
Garcia’s artistic style is defined as “abstract imaginism,” and he values storytelling as a central feature in his murals.
To prepare for creating “El Milagro,” he engaged closely with the Tepeyac community, capturing the essence of its people through photographs of both staff and community members.
Despite incorporating their likenesses into a metaphorical context rather than a literal one, Garcia aimed to reflect the spirit of the community.
“If you were to find yourself… you wouldn’t necessarily be your real self,” he explained, revealing the playful and interpretative nature of his art.
Garcia expressed joy when individuals found connections to his artwork, stating, “I have had people come and say, ‘There I am!’ or ‘That’s my aunt!’ and I think that’s beautiful… because I wanted people to see themselves in here.”
However, as the mural was completed, a contract established with the city dictated its lifespan.
According to Kiah Butcher, programs manager for RiNo Art District, the mural was set to last three years and was scheduled for a replacement in 2024.
During the last Denver Walls festival, a new mural by Mr. B Baby was painted over Garcia’s original mural, precipitating shock and dismay for the artist.
Garcia had been under the impression that “El Milagro” was permanent, while those managing the art festival believed it was temporary.
Ally Grimm, director of Denver Walls, echoed Garcia’s confusion in hindsight, acknowledging errors in communication regarding the mural’s fate.
When the city instructed Denver Walls to proceed with the replacement, it ignited community outrage, resulting in vandalism of the newly painted mural and personal threats directed at Grimm.
As the controversy unfolded, Grimm publicly expressed regret for the decision, stating, “That mural always should have been a permanent piece of artwork.”
Realizing the miscommunication’s implications, Grimm approached the city to restore “El Milagro,” prompting discussions on how to better preserve culturally significant public art in urban spaces.
With a collective understanding of the need to support community-focused art, Denver and RiNo committed to restoring Garcia’s mural and adding it to the city’s permanent collection.
Because there was no budget to simply restore the original work, Garcia is now tasked with repainting the mural from scratch, a project currently moving forward with funding from RiNo’s public art program and support from Denver Walls.
Lucha Martinez de Luna, founder of the Chicano/a Murals of Colorado Project, sees the incident as emblematic of larger issues surrounding community representation and cultural erasure.
As neighborhoods face gentrification pressures, the erasure of significant murals feels like another layer of diminishing community identity, she noted.
Martinez de Luna shared her perspective by emphasizing the historical role of the community mural movement during the Civil Rights Movement, which served to empower marginalized voices when mainstream cultural institutions failed to represent them.
As Garcia works on restoring “El Milagro,” both he and Martinez de Luna hope it will educate the public about the importance of community murals.
Upon completion, a plaque accompanied by a QR code will provide visitors with a description of the work, linking past narratives to present realities.
Jim Garcia remarked on the significance of restoring the mural, stating, “This mural doesn’t just belong to Tepeyac. It belongs to the community that was responsible for the founding of Tepeyac and that has supported us for more than 30 years.”
He regarded the restoration as an affirmation of their collective strength and spirit, crucial to ensuring their stories continue to inspire future generations.
As the project nears completion, the community is reminded of the impact and importance of their shared narratives reflected in public art.
image source from：denverite
