The times they are a-changin' by Eduardo Kobra

The mural "The Times They Are A-Changin’," created by Eduardo Kobra, is found in Downtown Minneapolis on the exterior of a historical, art deco building. Kobra was born into poverty in Brazil. His artistic skills are self-taught, and he started his career in the streets through graffiti, which is an art form for individuals with limited resources. Historically, graffiti has been criminalized by those in power because graffiti is a tool for the marginalized as a form of protest, and the authorities have wanted to silence those with less privilege. Specially, in Brazil, where there is a form of graffiti called Pichação, a form of graffiti characterized by bold, often aggressive and stylized markings, typically using spray paint or markers.

​

Kobra has a distinct style, using brightly colored geometric shapes to create the images of famous figures. Typically, the subjects of his works were agents of global change. For example, he has painted the activist Mahatma Gandhi and the scientist Albert Einstein. This mural depicts Bob Dylan, a folk singer originally from Minnesota. Due to the proximity, Dylan is very popular around the state. He is known for writing songs with political themes with relation to protest and expression. The title of the mural, "The Times They Are A-Changin,'" is an allusion to the very famous song of Dylan's with the same name. The song was released in 1964, meaning that it took place during a very profound historical moment. During this era, the Civil Rights Movement reached its peak, there was much public debate in the United States due to the Vietnam War, and there was a new and active generation emerging with other progressive ideas who wanted to revolutionize the world.

​

The artistic style Kobra uses is frankly visible in this mural with the use of monochromatic images of Bob Dylan superimposed with diamonds and stripes of various colors. In the images of the singer, his evolution and growth over time is visible –including his iconic hat. Also shown is the shape of a guitar, one of Bob Dylan's most used instruments over his career. He has played various models such as the acoustic C.F. Martin 00 and 000 styles; at the Newport Folk Festival in July of 1965, he appeared using a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar, ending up with an unforgettable night… for several reasons (the performance turned out controversial for his "novel" first attempt at using an electric model). 

​

         The song the quote in the mural (and the name of the entire work) is based on the titular "The Times They Are A'Changin'" was written near the end of 1963 with the intent of being an "anthem for change" in the era's political environment. These themes of social change and revolution resonate with common ideas in Kobra's murals, which trend towards having a focus on messages of peace and changing perspectives of past events (shown in the color superimposed on monochromatic images to bring a new view to scenes previously seen in few ways). In all, the mural serves as a powerful message about our world: "the only constant is change." With the images of Bob Dylan through time, Kobra paints a message incarnating the inevitable social changes that come to life over generations.