Armijo Library's Mural 30th Anniversary
2024 marks the 30th anniverary of Carlos Callejo's mural, Discover the Secrets of the Universe Through Your Library, at the El Paso Public Library's Armijo branch library. Painted, on what was then, the exterior courtyard walls of the library, the mural reflects the Armijo community's Mexican-American, Chicano heritage and spoke to the ability to achieve what one dreams. Dreams inspire imagination and this, Mr. Callejo believes, is extremely important for children. "Children need to dream."
Since its unveiling on January 13, 1994, the mural has sparked the imagination of thousands of library patrons and art enthusiasts. Its presence and impact are vital in a community where struggles can exceed dreams. In honor of his outstanding achievements, body of work and advocacy, the El Paso Public Library is renaming Armijo Library's mural room to the Carlos Callejo Mural Room on August 24, 2024. In celebration of the occasion, we invite you to view the mural's creation, from beginning to end.
Armijo Library's Mural 30th Anniversary
In early 1993, the El Paso Public Library, the Murales Project of the Junior League of El Paso, and the City of El Paso's Art Resources and Community Development departments announced a call for artists to submit proposals for a public/private mural commission project at the Armijo branch library. 23 proposals were submitted and 4 finalists were selected to move on to the mural renderings phase. In August of 1993, it was announced local muralist, Carlos Callejo, was selected for the commission.
Carlos Callejo is a native of El Paso, but moved to East Los Angeles at the age of 9. After graduating high school, he pursued a degree in graphic arts at California State University, Los Angeles and studied at the Otis Art Institute. Mr. Callejo returned to El Paso in 1986 and quickly stamped his mark on city walls. Some of his works and contributions include:
- Aids, 6th and Ochoa Streets (behind La Fe Clinic)
- El Chuco y Qué, 900 E. Father Rahm Ave. (at South Virginia St.)
- Memorial to Ruben Salazar, Cypress and Corona Avenues
- Our History, 500 E. San Antonio St. (inside El Paso County Courthouse)
- Boxers, Webster Ave. and Glenwood St. (inside San Juan Recreation Center's boxing arena)
- Escoja su Destino, Choose your Destiny, 6400 Delta Dr. (inside El Paso County Juvenile Detention Facility gym)
- Folklorico Dancers - Tribute to Rosa Guerrero, 10150 Alameda Ave. (inside Socorro High School)
Murals are much more than decor. They embody the communities they reside in.
Murals that truly speak for a community and its social concerns are a real inspiration, both as a model for artists and as a monument to the struggles and aspirations of the community - Carlos Callejo
Mr. Callejo currently resides in East Lost Angeles and continues to paint and create.
Carlos Callejo's mural was painted on the east and south walls of what was then the outdoor Armijo Library courtyard. Here, the walls are prepped all in white for the mural.
Photograph of the east courtyard wall of the Armijo Library. The wall is now painted black for the mural. Scaffolding is at the forefront.
Photograph of men working on the mural. Behind the scaffolding, the outline and initial painting stages of the Meso-American noble are taking shape.
The mural reads from left to right. The Meso-American noble is the beginning of the mural. Mr. Callejo described this scene as the noble enticing the public to come into the library courtyard for further viewing and knowledge.
Carlos Callejo is photographed painting an astronaut in the mural. The outlines of Meso-American motifs are seen to the left of Mr. Callejo and the astronaut.
Several outlines of mural objects, including Meso-American sculptures, an astronaut, and the space shuttle, are seen against the black wall. In the bottom right-hand corner, the astronaut is closer to completion.
Mr. Callejo on scaffolding painting the Meso-American motifs section of the mural.
Meso-American motifs and space section of the mural nearing completion.
Mr. Callejo noted this scene of astronauts, modern space travel and the discovery of ancient Meso-American sculptures, implies our ancestors were long connected to the universe before space techonology existed. The astronauts, Mr. Callejo further explained, represent modern day society and its need to recognize the value and knowledge our ancestors had to offer the world.
The astronaut located at the extreme bottom right of the east wall holds a miniature sculpture of intertwined serpents. Mr. Callejo stated it symbolizes the duality between earth and sky.
The south wall of the mural in progress. Children in a Seguno Barrio tenement are painted.
Mr. Callejo completing the painting of the children featured on the south wall of the mural.
Mr. Callejo used neighborhood children as models for the faces of the children in his mural.
The features of the young girl in the previous slide are extraordinarly evident.
A girl and boy modeling for the mural.
The children photographed in the previous slide are featured in the mural.
The mural's transition seen in this corner, of the dream of space travel to children in their elements at home, completes the cycle of dream into reality.
Mr. Callejo painting the final details of the astronaut.
The completed astronaut is located on the extreme bottom right of the mural's east wall. The patch on the right arm of the astronaut is complete, the title of the mural is painted within it. Reflected on the astronaut's mask is the south and west walls of the library's courtyard. The children and tenement mural scene are painted on the far right of the mask and in the center is the exterior library wall.
Once completed, the library and Mr. Callejo invited local students to view the mural.
On the space theme featured in the mural, Mr. Callejo explains it "symbolizes that behind the walls of the Seguno Barrio lies this immense knowledge and culture which our children represent."