NOTE FROM PROJECT DIRECTOR
The idea for Painting Tijuana came after a series of conversations about the importance to document different and positive aspects of Tijuana, which I found intriguing and a welcome addition to my work. The idea presented an opportunity to explore and rediscover the city, which I as a photojournalist had grown to know well.
My search for murals has become a treasure hunt. It's a chance to wander the city and discover colorful gems of paint left on walls amidst the chaotic and changing landscape.
Mural art is ephemeral art and like everything in life, it comes and it goes. Development, vandalism and exposure to the elements, can cause urban artistic interventions, to disappear quickly. Preserving this art in photographs, (be they commissioned murals, spontaneous street art or hand painted commercial and religious imagery,) is an important way of preserving part of the city's identity.
This identity can be embodied in expressions found anywhere and made by anyone. I believe that no single form of expression is inherently better than another, and that any expression is an expression of one's identity.
Painting Tijuana shows that artistic expressions are not limited to the confines of traditional and established venues or artists. And, by making more visible these often times unseen works of art we can learn to more fully appreciate this art and their creators, and understand that both are much closer to home than we think.
- David Maung
TEAM
David Maung, project director
David Maung has photographed extensively in Tijuana, Mexico, and has an intimate understanding of the complex and dynamic issues that define the U.S.-Mexico border region.
His photographs have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Al-Jazeera, Der Spiegel, Courrier International, Gatopardo, Proceso, Amnesty International and Physicians for Human Rights, among others. He has exhibited his work in the United States, Germany, Mexico and Colombia.
David also organizes workshops and activities to foment dialogue on the ethics and social responsibility of photography.
Gustavo Mayoral, project web developer
Gustavo Mayoral is an accomplished Software Engineer with over 25 years of experience designing and developing applications for several industries. He is the founder of CodeAgents LLC, a software development company focused on creating practical applications using AI and Machine Learning.
He is also recognized in the arts for his work with photography, digital and mechanical sculpture, and other media, winning accolades in photography and Art Biennale in Mexico.
Cate Calson, project graphic designer
Cate Calson closely follows technological advances in marketing and communications. She is a digital marketing specialist for small businesses and non-profit organizations, and focuses on business plan development by mentoring her clients.
She served on the board of the Annapolis Arts Alliance and created its website. Her most passionate projects are the arts, photography, environmental advocacy, humanitarian work and the goal of an accessible and equitable Internet for all.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Painting Tijuana would like to thank the public affairs office of the United States Consulate General in Tijuana, Mexico, for its initiative and generous support of this project. Such support is fundamental to foster communication and understanding between people, and promote arts and culture in our society.
We also want to thank Tripp Mikich, (photography editor and Internet innovator,) Francisco "Tico" Orozco, (cultural promotor,) Nestor "SPEL" Mondragón, (muralist,) Javier Farrera, (muralist,) Iván Arevalo, (muralist,) and Jorge "Jofras" Sánchez, (educator,) for their invaluable guidance.
Painting Tijuana is under the umbrella of World Design Capital San Diego-Tijuana 2024 and is part of the activities of Tijuana Design Week (May 2024) and San Diego Design Week (September 2024.)
