Madrid Mural Celebrating Women Saved From Destruction
(Disclaimer: La Tonique Media LLC does not represent any political ideology. While we do not espouse any political beliefs, we do seek to provide a balance perspective by incorporating voices from both sides of the political spectrum.)
In 2018, a 60m mural was installed on the side of a sports center in Madrid by the Unlogic collective. The faces of many respected women are featured on the mural; among them are human rights campaigner Rigoberta Menchú, singer Nina Simone and political activist Angela Davis. The mural is intended to spread the lives and achievements of these women under the slogan ‘Your ability doesn’t depend on your gender.’
Some of the women featured
Rosa Parks – Civil rights advocate. In 1955, she refused to give her bus seat to a white person. This started a bus boycott and significantly contributed to a larger civil rights movement that ended when the Supreme Court ruled racial segregation on buses was unconstitutional.
Nina Simone – Singer and civil rights activist. A successful singer-songwriter who wanted to become America’s first Black concert pianist.
Valentina Tereshkova - Soviet astronaut and the first woman to travel into space.
Frida Kahlo – One of the 20th century’s most accomplished painters. A member of Mexico’s Communist Party and sought to promote indigenous Mexican culture using her art.
Recently, far-right party Vox petitioned to have the painting removed due to its “political message,” arguing it should feature a celebration of sports instead. Jorge Nuno, a member of the Unlogic collective, said, “Art doesn’t create problems, petty thinking does.”
The motion regarding its replacement was supported by the conservative People’s Party (PP) and the center-right Citizen’s Party.
Local residents protest against the proposed removal of the mural (Olmo Calvo)
However, residents did not agree. After being angered by those in local power, they started an online petition that attracted more than 55,000 signatures. As a result, left-wing party Mas Madrid brought a motion before the city council stating that the mural should be protected. The motion succeeded after the Citizen’s party backtracked and opted to support the mural.
Although not a supporter of the painting, Madrid’s deputy mayor, Begona Villacis, said “Our politics is about doing things, not erasing things. I want a city that’s diverse. I don’t just govern for the people who voted for me, and respecting things you don’t like comes with being deputy mayor of the city as a whole.”
Nuno said, “I think some people have had trouble understanding that the women featured in the neighborhood mural are not there for political reasons. They’re all here because of their social contribution to equality and because each and every one of them fought for proper equality and a fairer society.”
The mural, labeled “Unity makes strength,” is described as celebrating women “who have overcome challenges, broken barriers and become reference points in the defense of women and equality.”
