3,800 volunteers join artist enrique chiu to create giant mural on US-mexico border

designboom_with the help of nearly 4,000 volunteers, artist enrique chiu is creating a large-scale mural on mexico’s side of the us-mexico border. chiu began the project on election day in 2016, inviting people to decorate uplifting messages that promote peace and togetherness, a challenge to donald trump‘s notion of a ‘big, beautiful wall’.


once complete, the ‘mural of brotherhood’ will span a mile of mexico’s border frontage in tijuana. shorter segments will also be created in other regions to connect the project to the southern edge of the border.


the murals spread messages of peace to people crossing the border by car or on foot,’ chiu said in an interview with hyperallergic. ‘they’re also intended to be a final glimpse of hope for migrants risking danger as they cross northward.’


chiu was born in mexico and has spent 14 years living in the US. in 2009 he returned to mexico to become part of tijuana’s arts scene. a recently released documentary by alejandro arguelles benitez follows him through the project.

in 2017, the trump administration tested eight wall prototypes in otay mesa, san diego across from tijuana on the other side of the border. all eight prototypes failed breach tests and were subsequently demolished. eight new prototypes have since passed the us military’s penetrability tests but an ongoing standoff between trump and congress has any progress on the wall actually being built.