Foto Alex Díaz

Sixteen well-known Puerto Rican and international muralists have entered a conversation that unites their creative practices with social concerns, with the goal of rejuvenating abandoned urban space in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. The neighborhoods of Santurce and Río Piedras have been transformed into platforms for public art in “Los Muros Hablan” (“The Walls Speak”), the largest annual international festival of urban art in the Caribbean.

Los Muros Hablan [es], which runs from October 3 to 13 under the sponsorship of the Buena Vibra Group [es] and Lanco, has joined together with the community, uniting residents, students, and families in the common goal of renewing the city. This year's program has been created in collaboration with local groups, and the results promise to have educational value to equal their artistic and cultural value.

Foto Alex Díaz

“What characterizes and distinguishes this event is the fact that every one of the selected artists has passed through a curatorial process that ensures that, as with last year, the best artists in Puerto Rico and in the world are being presented,” explained Alexis Díaz, the well-known Puerto Rican muralist and curator of Los Muros Hablan.

The international muralists who are participating are Conor Harrington (Ireland), Interesni Kazki (Ukraine), Liqen (Spain), DALeast (China), Faith 47 (South Africa), Inti (Chile), together with the Puero Ricans Rafi Trelles, Omar Velázquez, Juan Salgado, Edgardo Larregui, The Stencil Network, David Zayas and SKE. Furthermore, the new generation of Puerto Rican muralists will be represented by a group, DEFY, that was selected as the result of an online call for local artists, and the Dominican community will be represented by Poteleche.

Foto Alex Díaz

This year the festival will be documented by Rom Levy, editor of the website streetartnews.net, the premier source of information on the worldwide street art and mural movement.

The artists will be working on their murals during the ten days of the festival, and after the conclusion of the event their works will remain permanently for the appreciation of the public.

For more information:

Los Muros Hablan [es] on Facebook

#losmuroshablan [es] on Twitter

Buena Vibra Group [es]