"Collective Art for Human Rights" mural painting with artist MAGA
A collective mural promoted by the Refugees Programme of the Fundació Autònoma Solidària has brought together students, volunteers and refugees at the UAB to vindicate the transformative power of culture and the defense of human rights through art.
As part of the activities held during the Week of Culture and Human Rights, several university members aided MAGA in her creation of a mural on the role of culture as a revolutionary loudspeaker. The initiative, launched by the FAS's Refugees Programme, included the participation of students, volunteers and refugees living or studying at the UAB.
A mural loaded with meaning
The artist in charge of the mural, MAGA, designed a mural that the volunteers helped fill with colours. But the activity not only focused on technique and art: it allowed collaborators to learn about the background of the artistic piece.
The idea is based on a quote by writer and journalist Montserrat Roig: “Culture is the most revolutionary political option”. The mural represents two strong female figures: Montserrat Roig and Angela Davis, cultural, political and university figures, alongside a book, symbolising culture, from which nature emerges, as a metaphor for its transformative potential.
Without culture all seems grey and dull; with culture, there is the possibility of social change, growth and life. “I wanted to express the strength culture can have in demanding human rights”, the artist said.
The initiative
The collective mural aims to create a space for reflection on the inequalities present today, encouraging active participation in the defense of human rights, dignity, equality and freedom.
Júlia Pírez, Cooperation and Education Technician for Global Justice at FAS, mentions that “muralism is a very powerful artistic technique that allows us to capture cultural references in a very inspiring way.” That is why, at FAS, it was decided to organise a space for participation and collective construction through this form of artistic expression.
The Week of Culture and Human Rights was an activity organised by the Culture Unit and the University Social Responsibility project of the UAB, with the support of the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Communication Studies, and the Fundació Autònoma Solidària of the UAB. It was attended by students, volunteers and refugees who live or study at the UAB and received the support of the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation (ACCD).