You may not have heard, but Rose Park is the new place to be. On June 9, a mural will be unveiled at Furst Construction which is a design construction company dedicated to cost efficiency and integrity. The mural itself represents a message “This is not for sale” according to the press release. This statement is a translation of the phrase to be posted next to the mural and represents the idea behind it. Rose Park is a community just as good as any other, and they won’t be changing any time soon. They are growing new leaves, not replacing trees with skyscrapers.
Instead of turning over a new leaf, Rose Park has embraced the existing leaves and the community they belong to. Ella Mendoza is just such a leaf and will serve as the face of the mural. Mendoza is a local artist and freelance writer. She is also an undocumented immigrant and an illegal illustrator according to her bio. Originally from Peru, she writes on behalf of queer and minority movements alike.
Columbian-American muralist from the Bay Area, Jessica Sabogal will be painting the mural. You might recognize the name as she was recently a keynote speaker at the U. While she was here, she participated in the “Feminists Unite! Building Community through Art & Activism” discussion. She is primarily a stencil spray paint artist and has worked on several mural projects including the “Women Are Perfect” and “We the People” campaigns.
The mural will be unveiled at Furst Construction on 708 West North Temple. There will be a public viewing June 9 from 2-4 p.m.
This collection of seemingly separate entities will come together and create a piece of art to represent the community of Rose Park. Isn’t it time we stopped looking for a change and learned to embrace who we are? These artists are interested in doing just that, and so is Rose Park. This mural will set a standard for other mural initiatives taking place in Utah. We are strong, we are enough and we are not for sale.