Mañana
by Pablo Kalaka

This mural, created by Pablo Kalaka. It has a very welcoming feeling to this Salvadorian restaurant in St. Paul, and we felt connected through our personal experiences from Hispanic and Latino households. Through this mural, we were able to discover Kalaka and his work, which not only can be found in Minnesota but also in different parts of the world such as Cuba, Spain, Mexico, and Colombia, and we were able to learn more about his work and evident passion for storytelling through art. Based on information shown on his website, Pablo's "family history within social and political militancy, together with the impact generated by the urban art movement that was happening in Barcelona in those years, ended up guiding his work towards the urgent and timely intervention of public space, thus becoming one of the contemporary muralists with pieces in a large number of cities around the world," which was fascinating to discover because frequently most artists base their abilities through personal interests and not events like the ones Pablo has experienced. 

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This mural was created for Rosario Díaz, the former owner and matriarch of the Mañana restaurant in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Rosario's history greatly influenced the mural as she made pupusas in her home that family members and friends would flock to consume. We can see a beautiful depiction of Rosario within the mural as she makes pupusas with the help of family and friends. On the mural's far right side, we can see a young boy looking into the scene, which we have predicted to be her son Balmore.

 

The colors used within this mural are very vibrant, warm tones that make the mural feel very welcoming and place sentiments of community and warmth within the audience. This mural represents what many Hispanic and Latinx people are used to within their familial households: being family-orientated, cooking, and serving a community. The feelings of the mural are clear: food can be utilized to create love within a community. This sentiment is very prevalent within Hispanic and Latino households. We can also relate to our own personal experiences making tamales and homemade tortillas with our family. The mural on the side of a restaurant is significant because, in some ways, it can feel like food can have its own category in the lists of love languages. Traditionally, in Hispanic and Latino culture, food conveys feelings of friendship, family, and romantic love. We serve food to each other, we make food with each other, and we receive food from one another.

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The location of this mural also holds a lot of value towards the Hispanic and Latinx community due to its surroundings, such as the CLUES building, a dessert shop named La Michoacana, a grocery/restaurant called El Burrito Mercado, and many more shops nearby solely based for Hispanic and Latinx population consumption and involvement. Adding this mural to the side of the building not only brings in a new audience but also allows this restaurant to be seen and recognized through beauty and imagery that speaks to all.