Envision geometric figures slowly fading. The mural Tlatelolco 1985: Sismo y resurrección is gradually disintegrating. It is located on the headquarters of the Telmex telephone company. I will tell you about the mural’s history.
Tlatelolco 1985: Sismo y resurrección holds an important place in Mexico City’s urban memory. This neighborhood has seen key events and changes in the country’s history. The Plaza de las Tres Culturas is where Mexico’s pre-Hispanic and colonial past meets modern Mexico. However, the student massacre of 1968 and the earthquake of 1985 cast shadows over this area.
The Nonoalco-Tlatelolco district was an ambitious modernist project. It encompassed hundreds of housing blocks. When inaugurated in 1964 it promised a future. It was a city within a city. It included schools offices hospitals shopping arcades theaters sports grounds movie theaters and a subway station. The 1968 massacre awakened residents from this dream. The 1985 earthquake turned Tlatelolco into a nightmare.
Tlatelolco 1985: Sismo y resurrección is part of a series of murals. The artist from Tamaulipas created them in Tlatelolco in the late 1990s. They are around 30 meters high. The murals aimed to make the urban environment more attractive. They also sought to strengthen the local community.
Nicandro Puente created this artwork. Many volunteers helped Puente paint the building facades. Most lived nearby. They chose the artwork themes. They also climbed onto the scaffolding with paint. This group created the Red Urbana de Muralismo Comunitario. Puente’s followers continued his work.
Ten murals were planned. Only four were completed. Two others remained unfinished when the artist died in 2005. The organization has tried to restore the artworks. But so far it has been in vain. The paintings faded. They were remembered again in 2019. Construction works were carried out on the General Anaya building. A mural entitled Tlatelolco, héroe y mártir de las libertades disappeared.
Even if these works are not street art Puente wanted to create a common cultural heritage. This inspires countless artists today. Some call themselves Muralistas 2.0. This references the Muralismo movement of the early twentieth century. Their concept of art is similar to Puente’s. Urban creations gain meaning when shared.
The neighborhood has aged. The playground in front has a broken swing. There is a rusty climbing frame. A burst tire is visible. Time has taken its toll. The paint has flaked off Tlatelolco 1985 Sismo y resurrección. Soon the geometric figures will be hard to see.
Tlatelolco 1985: Sismo y resurrección stands as a testament. It shows the resilience of a community. It also reflects the power of art. It serves as a reminder of the past. It inspires future generations of artists. It encourages community engagement. Despite its disintegration it holds a powerful message.