For years, the people of Pachucha, Mexico — particularly those living in the village of Palmitas — led stagnant lives. The neighborhood’s shoddy infrastructure and financial insecurity materialized in the form of dull grey homes and shops that cast light on the harsh reality that residents faced day in and day out.
That’s why youth collective Germen Crew decided to quite literally make life a little brighter for the people who call Palmitas home. With some paint and a bit of community outreach, they set to work turning the somber village into a visual celebration that’s as vibrant as its residents.
According to Germen Crew’s press release, the project unfolded in a series of steps, the first of which involved getting community members on board and encouraging them to pitch in.
They wanted to let townspeople know that this project belonged to them. Germen Crew wanted to give them the opportunity to reclaim their village.
The second phase involved gallons and gallons of white paint. Before adding all of those neon hues to the mix, the entire neighborhood had to be painted stark white.
According to the artists, this stage was all about creating a space “where all are equal.” In their words, “The white represents hope. This generates cleanliness in the colony and inspires discussions of peace.”
After that, Macromural was born. The third step lit up Palmitas in all its newfound brilliance.
“With a color diagnostic of the entire colony,” Germen Crew writes, “190 colors were selected and applied to the face of Macromural.”
The colors represent the collective soul of these people who no longer want to live in grey ambiguity.
Germen Crew and the community members who are helping them out are now working on adding more intricate murals that will line every street and alleyway with visual histories of the neighborhood.
In all, almost 300 structures became part of Germen Crew’s vision.
The impact of Macromural is perhaps even more poignant from afar.
When people in Paris are in dire straits, we hear about it. When the system fails people in New York City, London, and Sydney, we hear about it. What the artists in Germen Crew identified was a gap in conventional thought that fails to recognize hardship in areas that have the fewest resources available to alleviate those shortcomings. It’s important that we extend our thoughts and efforts across the world so that everyone from residents in global metropolises to villagers in Palmitas receive the help that they need.
To see more from Germen Crew, be sure to check them out on Facebook today.