Colour is capable of having a tangible impact on the way we treat one another. Take for example Pachuca, a medium size city located in central Mexico. Within the city is the working class neighbourhood of Las Palmitas, an area that had a reputaion for being somewhat rough around the edges. In 2015 an artists’ collective called the “Germen Crew,” with help from the residents, spent fourteen months painting the exteriors of 200 adjoining family homes. These cement and concrete blocks structures are now part of one massive, eye-catching mural.
Because Pachuca is also known as “la bella airosa” (the beautiful, breezy city) the expressive mural, with its sweeping arcs and flowing shapes, pays homage to the wind. The transformation of the neighbourhood has encouraged people to be more open and friendlier towards one another. “Honestly, what surprises me the most is that people are really changing,” says project director Enrique Gomez, “They are growing – there is more community spirit. People are taking the security of their neighborhood into their own hands.” Collaborative efforts like this remind us how colour adds joy to our lives and can sometimes even encourage civility.