Photo by Osvaldo Budet
Chicago Mural: ‘Oscar, We Are the Groundswell of Liberation’
2017
In 2017, a group of AgitArte artists and collaborators painted the mural, ‘Oscar, We Are the Groundswell of Liberation,’ on 2729-2731 Division St. in the historical Paseo Boricua, the heart of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago to celebrate the freedom of our beloved ex political prisoner, Oscar López Rivera. We utilize the metaphor to answer his calling in our workshop, just a few weeks after his release, to continue fighting for the freedom of all political prisoners who remain behind bars.
On the mural, we wrote a quote which reads: “We, a sea of people, are essential for the tidal wave of freedom to tear down the oppressive systems which exploit and colonize us.” The metaphor refers to a letter Oscar wrote to his granddaughter while he was in prison, in which he refers to missing the smell of the sea and being able to feel it on his lips. He concludes by stating that he will likely have to wait years to be able to be in it again finally.
The mural was a kickoff to our When We Fight, We Win! Arts & Culture Tour highlighting the artwork featured in the book in the annual Fiesta Boricua hosted by The Puerto Rican Cultural Center. Papel Machete performed a presentation based on the mural in front of Oscar López, who joined other community leaders and organizers in speaking about the importance of freeing all political prisoners and expanding our organizing, popular education, and visionary efforts to dismantle the prison industrial complex.
En 2017, un grupo de artistas y colaboradores de AgitArte pintó el mural Oscar, somos la marejada de la liberación, en calle División, 2729-2731, en el histórico Paseo Boricua, el corazón de la comunidad puertorriqueña de Chicago para celebrar la libertad de nuestro querido prisionero político, Oscar López Rivera. En nuestro taller, usamos la metáfora para responder a su llamado, a unas pocas semanas de que lo liberarán, para persistir en la lucha por la libertad de todos los presos políticos que siguen tras las rejas.
En el mural escribimos una cita que lee: “Nosotros, un mar de gente, somos la esencia para el maremoto de la libertad y poder destruir los sistemas opresivos que nos explotan y colonizan”. La metáfora alude a una carta que Oscar le escribió a su nieta mientras él era un prisionero, en la que señala echar de menos el olor del mar y poder mojar sus labios con el agua salada. Concluye diciendo que probablemente tendrá que esperar años para al fin poder verlo de nuevo.
El mural inició nuestro Tour de Arte y Cultura de ¡Cuando luchamos, ganamos!, en el que resaltamos los trabajos visuales que aparecieron en la Fiesta Boricua anual, organizada por el Puerto Rican Cultural Center. Papel Machete creó una presentación basada en el mural frente a Oscar López, quien se unió a les líderes y activistas comunitarios para hablar sobre cuán vital es la liberación de todos los presos políticos y de expandir nuestra labor de activismo, educación popular y esfuerzos visionarios para desmantelar el complejo industrial penitenciario.
Also check out our episode of the When We Fight, We Win! podcast featuring Oscar Lopez.
About the episode:
We delve deep into the most recent elections in Puerto Rico, in which progressive candidates gained historical support, and in which a referendum about the islands annexation to the US was held. Oscar López Rivera, shows us how the electoral system in Puerto Rico is built on a colonial system designed by and for the dominant elite and Washington. It is the U.S. Congress and a federally appointed Fiscal Control Board who have authority over Puerto Rican affairs. So, do elected politicians really have power?
