Monuments: Our Immigrant Mothers
July 2019
Living Walls, the City Speaks’ Laura Patricia Calle Grant
City of Decatur
Location: 302 East Howard Avenue, Decatur, GA 30030
Artist Statement:
I drew inspiration for Monuments: Our Immigrant Mothers from my deep admiration of my mother. My mother exemplifies the stories that are familiar to many of us about the hard working, resourceful immigrant woman who readily sacrifices to give her children the world. My first mural proposal in 2017 was of my mother surrounded in a sanctuary of deserts flowers, cactus plants, and monarch butterflies that represented each of her children. My design was turned down because the restaurant owner did not want a specific face on their wall. Being awarded Living Walls’ Laura Patricia Calle Grant provided the perfect opportunity for me to finally paint a mural of my mother.
After securing this large wall, I decided to use as much of the space as possible to make the mural more inclusive. I included two additional portraits: Ms. Kapembwa, the mother of a former high school classmate, who is from Zambia; and Ms. Nguyen, the mother of a former student, who is from Vietnam. This mural was going to be a bold celebration of women of color. Monuments: Our Immigrant Mothers allowed me to celebrate the diversity of the immigrant community and to challenge the perception that migration is an experience exclusive to Mexican or Latinx individuals.
The symbolism of this mural includes desert plants and flowers. I wanted to depict plants and flowers that survive in extreme temperatures, because immigrant mothers—and immigrants in general—have to learn how to survive and thrive under policies and conditions that push them to the margins. The thorns in the prickly pears symbolize protection—and for me, the many things my mother has done to protect her children. Behind the heads of each women, I painted a round succulent plant, almost as a halo or a crown. I wanted these women to look regal, because that’s how I see them in real life. This mural was an effort on my part to continue to push back on that good immigrant/bad immigrant narrative—and to celebrate immigrant parents, “the Original Dreamers.”