Roberto Chao, Mozart Mural, HSTF

Roberto Chao sits on a green park bench in Mozart Park eating a homemade sandwich, his hands blotchy with white and blue paint. The wind brings a cool flicking mist from the south as children run through water sprinklers in the summer afternoon heat. Behind the bench is a large toolbox, locks dangling and unclasped. Protected overnight in this newly renovated park are not the shovels, hammers and nails of its construction, but the tools with which to tell the community’s past; the tools of an artist.

Chao is leading the process of creating his 43rd community mural. His handiwork can be seen on the columns of the nearby Jackson Square train station, the Hernandez School jigsaw puzzle, and in massive installments all over Boston. But as Michelangelo did not paint the entire Sistine Chapel himself, neither does every brush stroke of these murals belong to Chao. He creates community art, for, and by, the community.

The MBTA has funded the repainting of this mural, which was originally painted in 1988. Youths employed by the Hyde Square Task Force (HSTF) and volunteers work with Chao from 9AM until 2PM Monday-Friday painting in the park.

Ashley Cotton, Programming Coordinator of the Community Development Artists at HSTF (and was a youth member for four years) said that the inception of the project was in January. Since then, there have been two community meetings where the content of the mural was discussed. “All members of the community are encouraged to add to the mural,” said Cotton. Even those who cannot draw can help fill in the lines sketched out by the artists “People have the opportunity to work alongside and have guidance from artists,” she said.

On July 10th there will be an event called Festival Night in Mozart Park, part of the Summer Nights Out program. From 6-8PM there will be mural painting, face painting, ice cream, a magician, and much more.


The History

Roberto Chao teaches art during the winter in the Somerville school systems, and uses his summers to paint murals. His goal is to empower the kids and let them enjoy themselves. “I wish when I was this age I had this opportunity,” said Chao watching the children meandering back into the park from their lunch break.

Chao was born in Uruguay and left in the 1970’s when he said a military junta closed down the art school. He then traveled through Europe and finished up his Bachelor’s work in Puerto Rico. In 1982 he received his Master’s degree in mural painting from the University of Mexico, a city where he stayed for 9 years. There he learned of the Mexican Muralista Art Movement, headed by Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros and Jose Orozco. Street art is very prevalent in Mexico, said Chao. He even recalls certain colors like Mexican Pink and Mexican Blue (Frida Kahlo’s Blue House) as being distinct from all others.

In mexico he also became acquainted with Native American culture, what he calls “the original people”. Different cultures and histories are very prevalent in his artwork.

“In many of my murals I take ideas from poets,” said Chao citing Eduardo Galeano, a Uruguayan journalist and author as an influence (The Open Veins of Latin America and Memory of Fire both being rich in detail of American and Latin American Culture).