Pueblo to People

Pueblo to People combines symbols of Mayan and Aztec culture. An Aztec calendar wheel shows the fifty states of Mexico set against a background resembling a Serape blanket, suggesting migration from Pueblo to Philadelphia. The serpent image is Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of wind and knowledge. Other imagery within the calendar wheel includes a building in the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan. To the right of the mural on the Jackson Street side of the building, a series of dots represent the Mayan counting system. The owners of El Chilito Loco, the restaurant where the mural is located, felt strongly about including this imagery; they see it as connecting them to their home in Puebla, Mexico.

This project was part of a larger project, Make Sew Weave, meant to begin a literal and metaphorical dialogue between textiles representing the different communities of South Philadelphia. Textile workshops were a source for the designs that allowed for a new interweaving of visual and textile traditions. The goal of this Southeast by Southeast project was to highlight inter- relations between refugee, immigrant populations and the general and diverse South Philadelphia community through the creation of products and public art pieces.

The project also sought to revitalize and engage the rich cultures of the South of Snyder 7th Street business corridor through the artwork placed on exterior storefronts and selected non-profits. The project created opportunities for community members to come together to highlight the vibrancy of the neighborhood to the wider city.