WHAT TRIBE MURAL SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

It was Summers last gasp and the the What TRIBE Project co-existed with L.A. heat. Follow now as the all-seeing photographic eye of Eriberto ORIOL documents a small mural project at Self Help Graphics 1300 First street in Boyle Heights. Art in the heart of East L.A. with Renelle White Buffalo , Thomas Breeze Marcus, Vyal Reyes and Douglas Miles.

Art speaks for itself via the What Tribe mural project. After having a discussion about cultural appropriation with Evonne Gallardo ( Director of Self Help Graphics and Vyal Reyes ( Artist-In-Residence/ S.H.G.), they suggested we do a wall at Self Help Graphics. We wanted to reclaim and reinstate unique Native images in a positive manner in a larger context and format, a wall in the City of Angels. At the same time we aren’t pandering nor looking for pity from an exclusive mainstream art society. As we share our aesthetic perspective from reservation, city and tribal backgrounds, we inform and hopefully teach. Our tribal worldview is actually missing from one of the largest and diverse cities in the world, Los Angeles, until now.

The mural in Boyle Heights at Self Help Graphics is a proactive positive way to bring a visual indigenous aesthetic point of view to a city known for its cultural diversity. Mural art is about becoming part of the community. Murals allow artists to have a larger conversation within a community. Mural art isn’t necessarily about “being seen” as much as it’s about “seeing” the world around you and speaking on it. Like a skater having fun turning the streets into a moving playground, we wanted to become “one with the environment”. Being Native American myself (San Carlos Apache /O’Odham) it was an honor to be invited by friends in Los Angeles, Self Help Graphics (and curate What Tribe) to work in a respected Chicano East Side community with a great tradition of art for tribal people.

Douglas Miles
Curator: What Tribe

All photos by Eriberto Oriol.