Public Canvases: The Political and Communal Power of Murals

This thesis explores the political significance of murals and their role in representing community values, and preserving local histories. Murals, as public art forms, offer a unique intersection between politics, culture, and communal identity. By examining the development of murals in the United States and the varying methods of their creation this study investigates how this distinctly public form of artistic expression may communicate collective experiences, challenging power structures, and/or used as a means to create a shared identity. Through a series of case studies I intend to show how murals can become sources of political expression and contested symbols of communal solidarity.