Liquor Store Murals of Lincoln Heights - Jose Franco Anton

"Murals sing gospel from our streets, preach to us about who we can be, what we fear, and to what we can aspire." — Judy Baca

Track: "Lost" by T-Dre, CLS, Delux (1996)

Amidst growing concerns over gentrification, rental increases, social instability, and a demagogic administration, the many liquor store murals of Lincoln heights act as a constant reminder of the solidarity and strength featured within the Eastside LA community.

The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles has noted the existence and prevalence of murals within the scope of Lincoln Heights, dating all the way back to the 1930s (L.A. Times Archives, 1999). 

This constancy of community based artwork is present throughout the limits of the city, with tagging (street graffiti), murals, community gardens, and other adjacent works being featured in every nook and cranny.

The demographics of Lincoln Heights helps to explain much of the content and stylization of the public art works featured. 

Over 50% of the residents are Latino (approximately 66% to be precise) with Asians making up the other 23%. Having a basic understanding of LA/Chicano history, this insight provides great context as to why there such a degree of religiosity and Catholic imagery featured within the murals.

Talking to a customer in La Guadalupana corner market, I was informed that these murals were done locally BY members of the community FOR the community. The name of the store itself, Guadalupana, being a reference to "Our Lady of Guadalupe", a significant figure within Latin-American Catholic communities.

It's interesting to note that nobody SPECIFICALLY was referenced, only by nickname or first name, likely indicating a desired anonymity to be maintained (only for non-residents of course). It's very likely the community members know EXACTLY who created these pieces themselves, but aren't interested in divulging who they are.

The following are clips I took of three distinct corner liquor stores (all within only a couple blocks of one another), each with their own murals based in Catholic imagery. The owners of each store reflecting the primarily Latino (and yet secondary Asian population) featured within the city.

 

The bottom mural was actually a piece done very recently, wherein it replaced the space an older mural had taken up for years/decades prior. The names featured on the scroll listed the artists and individuals who had allowed for the "original" mural's erection and existence in the first place. Nobody seemed too eager to discuss who exactly created the low-rider 2024 mural, but there was a general understanding to "leave it be".

Honoring the extremely strong Catholic ties Latino's maintain with their faith (particularly within East LA), the murals act as a backdrop to the community and faith oriented nature of Latino communities within Los Angeles.

The interesting part being, the dichotomous nature of holding such pieces in locales such as liquor stores, creates an interesting dynamic conceptually, as one store owner mentioned, "These streets used to be lined with bodies. So many kids died leaving these stores back in the day". 

Gang ties and religious ties seem rather part and parcel however cognitively dissonant it may seem. It's all within the community of course, everyone knows each other, and act in accordance within that system. 

Its interesting to note how despite the prevalence of tags and graffiti around the neighborhood, none of the murals are tampered with. Only the signs next to them are, likely indicating the respect people maintain to the religious symbols and figures featured in the murals (Our Lady of Guadalupe, Christ, Mother Mary, etc.) 

The art itself feels rather integrated within the space. Each piece taking up the entirety of a whole wall within the corner market. This creates the feeling that the literal material and side of the liquor store is the canvas, and the relation to the community makes it all the more interconnected.

The relevance being that this tradition has been maintained, and as much as there is much to be concerned over (the changing demographics of the city with an increase in rent, white residents, and hipster locales), these murals and community pieces act as a mode of both cultural RESILIENCE and RESISTANCE.

I'm rather fond of the work featured across the city, and it is so ingrained into the community that one may forget they even exist. But taking a step back to consider what these images mean, how such religious fervor is so strong within these communities, the lack of erasure, the ties to both culture and identity as a whole, the pieces feel oh so necessary and important.

I'd love to see updates or honoring's of previous murals like that of the scroll previously mentioned across other spaces in Lincoln Heights. More such "low-key" yet constant doubling of imagery (the same symbols and figures) creates an underscoring effect, revealing how much these images matter.

As much as things change, there are things that must remain. People will always need these corner stores. People will always need faith. People will always need culture. And last but certainly not the least, people will always need art.