Title
The Kelco Historical Community Mural
Creator
Description
Full view of Kelco Mural, Cesar E. Chavez and Harbor Drive, San Diego, California. "This mural represents the history and future of the people, ocean and waterfront industries of our community. The sea life represented at the south end of the mural and ending on the west side of the loading dock of the Goldy builing are as follows: Harbor Seals, Sheep Head Fish, Sea Urchins, White Shark, Kelp Bass, Sea Otters, Porpoise, Blue Fin Tuna, Green Sea Turtle, Marlin, Emperor Angle Fish, Kelp Crab, Octopus, Sea Horse, Star Fish, Kelp, and Barnacles. Representing the waterfront industries on the main mural wall are: the Fishermen and Cannery workers, the Long Shoremen, the shipping industries of Nassco, South West Marine, Continental Maritime, the U.S. Navy, the Trolley system of the 1940's and Kelco Division of Merck & Co Inc. Our community cultural diversity is represented in the image of a Mestizo Aztec Dancer blowing the Queen Conch, blessing the heavens and earth. From the left and right of the Chicano Park Mayan Kiosco design, are cloud images of the mythical cranes of Aztlan, and the rare Peregrine Falcons currently residing on the columns under the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge today. The great Quetzalcoatl of the Maya, Nahuatl, and Aztec civilizations is the god of life and fertility. The snake represents the earth, matter, fertility; the feathers of the quetzal bird, matter transformed into spirit, the synthesis of life. This unique transformation of creating matter into spirit parallels the harvested kelp process of creating algin products and specialty chemicals from kelp to serve the needs, health and spirit of mankind. The ancient Maguey land plant, located on the roll up metal door of the building, is the contrasting comparable to the giant kelp marine plant. The Maguey plant has been harvested for its fiber products which can be woven and sap is made into candy, Pulque and Tequila - a fermented drink. In the Pre-Columbian periods this plant also served the needs, health, and spirit of our native civilizations. In the fifth panel of the south end of the mural wall on Harbor Drive, is the image of a group of adults of diverse ethnic character and backgrounds communicating in silent harmony. To the left of the group is the multifaceted symbol of the "conversation," it contains the tongue, the symbol of languages, the ear enlightenment and understanding, the nose smelling and tasting. The symbol of the eye is a spiritual vision. The colorful bridge column symbolizes the Chicano Park Monumental Public Mural concept. A mother cradles a sleeping infant, the symbol of family love. The Sea Otters also represent the symbol of the family. Above the Sea Otters are whimsical cloud formations of fantasy animals, created to amuse and stimulate the public imagination. The Shark near the kelp diver represents the imminent powers of our prehistoric oceans." Salvador Torres
The artist of any work retains all rights to that work. Copyright has not been assigned to the Regents of the University of California. The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. No further reproduction is permitted without prior written permission by the artist or copyright holder. Any requests for permission to reproduce this piece must be directed to: Salvador Roberto Torres c/o California Ethnic and Multicultural Archives, Library – CEMA, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106 Phone: (805) 893-8563 E-mail: cema@library.ucsb.edu
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