Cielo Sin Límites
by Hope Community, et al.

About the Mural

The "Cielo Sin Límites" ("Sky Without Limits") mural, located at the intersection of 14th Avenue and East Lake Street in South Minneapolis, powerfully reflects housing injustices in the Corcoran neighborhood. Created collaboratively in 2020 by Hope Community, Inquilix Unidx, Colectivo Cielos Sin Límites, Mia, and artists Magdalena Kaluza, Nell Pierce, and Claudia Valentino, the mural was designed and painted with active community input. After five years of fighting in court to hold landlord Stephen Frenz accountable for high rents and poor conditions, tenants, supported by Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia, won cooperative ownership. By transforming a simple wall into a space of hope, Sky Without Limits is an inspiring reminder of Lake Street's cultural significance and the resilience of Latin American and East African communities. It’s a testament to the ongoing struggle for dignified housing, autonomy, and justice (Nambudiripad, 2022). 

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The use of color in this work is significant: warm tones of red, orange, and yellow convey a sense of energy and life, reflecting the community's vitality and persistence. Cool blues, greens, and purples represent calmness and hope, highlighting the cooperative's vision for a peaceful, stable future. On the left-hand side of the mural, there is a figure depicting a man (the landlord) wrapped up in the words "From the control of the landlord to the hands of the community." This symbolizes the community's desire to create a housing environment that is not neglected and strictly run by a landlord but rather a community. On the right side is an image of a woman holding a key. These symbols show that the community members hold the power of the neighborhood with their own set of keys. The flowing ribbons with bilingual messages join the figures across the mural, especially in the center, creating a sense of movement and connection across the community. The expansive sky above the figures reinforces the cooperative's name, "Sky Without Limits," reflecting the freedom gained from landlord dependency. Each detail is carefully chosen to tell a story of resilience that resonates with anyone who encounters the mural.

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Inspired by the Chicano mural movement, this artwork uses bold visuals and culturally meaningful symbols to advocate for social justice and encourage viewers to take action in their neighborhoods. The aesthetics of social realism influence the work, a style often used in political murals to highlight the experiences of marginalized groups. The mural also communicates themes of interdependence and justice, which are essential principles of the cooperative movement. By integrating community members into both the creation process and the artwork itself, the mural stands as a living document of the cooperative's values and aspirations. Between the bold art strokes that add energy and texture or the bilingual messages translated into English and Spanish, the mural "Sky without Limits" creates a sense of unity and power for the Corcoran neighborhood while also highlighting the housing injustices.

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Works Cited: 

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Nambudiripad, U. “Campaña Capital de Cielos sin Límites.” Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia, 7 June 2022, https://www.inquilinxsunidxs.org/es/anuncios/campanacapital.

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Mia.org. “Power of Vision Mural Project –– Minneapolis Institute of Art.” Artsmia.org, 2014, new.artsmia.org/programs/mia-in-the-community/community-stories/power-of-vision-mural-project. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

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EveryAction.com. “Support Sky without Limits!” EveryAction, 2024, secure.everyaction.com/rNRFm0SWNEKBhn_ntFnAsA2. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.

“As a Member of the Sky without Limits Cooperative, José Enjoys a New Sense of Community.” Family Housing Fund, 3 Oct. 2023, www.fhfund.org/housing-story-jose-swl/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2024.