Classic mural art joins forces with hip-hop street art on cam

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Apr 1, 2010

Refa One, from Oakland, California, stands in front of one of his murals, The Forces of Nature.
Refa One, from Oakland, California, stands in front of one of his murals, The Forces of Nature.
A three-day symposium—co-sponsored by SEED Diversity and Initiative Grant, Board of Publications and Inter­sections Visiting Art and Scholar Program—will be held from April 6-9 at the UH Mānoa campus. “If These Walls Could Talk” is a 2010 joint effort between UH Mānoa’s Spanish, Latin American and Iberian Studies, Art and Art History; and Religion departments.
 
This exploratory cultural symposium brings together professionals, students and scholars to discuss and disseminate art, language and culture of these seemingly divergent genres of muralism. The symposium features interactive workshops such as a “Street Writing” workshop with Refa One, on Thursday, April 8, from 2:30-5:00 p.m. in the Art Auditorium.  During Thursday’s workshop, audience members will learn hip-hop style street calligraphy technique, a style of writing that is associated with the aerosol art movement, and have the opportunity to create their own works of art.
 
Other symposium events include a walking art tour of the UH Mānoa campus, and Spanish and bilingual lectures on the culture of painting and the different styles of muralism.
 
In the crowning event of “If These Walls Could Talk,” Dr. Josep Minguell, world-renowned fresco mu­ralist from Barcelona, and legendary San Francisco Bay area aerosol artist Refa One will paint murals at Building 6, next to the Campus Center. The murals will be unveiled during a cultural festival on Friday, April 9, from 2-4 p.m. at the Campus Center/Building 6 courtyard.
 
The multicultural and multilingual project focuses on diversity and pays tribute to the cultural and historic value of UH Mānoa’s Building 6, which has been home to the University’s original printing press.
 
All events are free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Spanish Assistant Professor Arantxa Ascunce at 956- 4177 or visit: http://www.hawaii.edu/llea/spanish/.