Defend Dignity
Category: Public Art
Address
1031 S Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Details
Defend Dignity
by Shepard Fairey
Artist Statement:
“This “Defend Dignity” mural was created to inspire sensitivity toward our fellow human beings and the planet itself. The central image, one of three that I created for the We the People series in 2017, is a portrait of Maribel Valdez Gonzalez, a Texan of Mexican descent. I collaborated with photographer Arlene Mejorado who works on immigrants’ rights, to create this image as a symbol of hope, dignity, and humanity. The bleeding lotus is a symbol of the beauty and fragility of our planet.
Los Angeles is a melting pot with immigrants from various communities and cultural backgrounds, and of course, there’s a very strong Latino presence here. It doesn’t matter what your ethnic background is, your country of origin, your skin color. Once you’re in the U.S. and you’re a citizen, you are equally an American and should have access to the American Dream. With the current political climate in the United States and particularly what’s happened in Los Angeles, the meaning behind this mural is more important than ever. We must defend dignity.”
Co-produced by Branded Arts
View Branded Arts video recap here.
