Relief efforts following the Sept. 19 earthquake in Mexico City, which took the lives of 369 people, came to the area in many forms. San Diego native Celeste Byers went to Mexico City to paint a mural of the rescue dog Frida.
Frida, a member of the Mexican navy’s canine unit, has found over 52 people after natural disasters. Amid the rubble, Frida and her team sniff out survivors under collapsed buildings. Images of her in dog-tailored boots and goggles flew across social media, providing readers with a sense of optimism
“Friends invited me to paint a mural and I felt like I really had something to offer,” explained Byers. “I felt a strong connection to Mexico and wanted to help people there.” Byers collaborated with her friends at Maia Gallery in Mexico City to create a mural of the beloved rescue dog. She chose to use the halo-esque elements of the highly revered Virgin of Guadalupe to highlight Frida’s heroism. Roses and the Mexican national flower, dahlia pinatas, line the perimeter of the image.
The 20 by 16.5 foot mural hangs down from the fourth story in Roma Norte, an area that took a hard blow from the earthquake. She painted the mural directly on the metal wall as she hung from a swing stage scaffold attached to the roof. After completing one half, she moved the scaffolding to the other side to complete the mural. The image is mapped using a derivative of a grid system except instead of squares and numbers, Byers uses symbols and letters to transfer the scale of her art from paper to wall. The before and after process can be seen here in her mural in Ocean Beach, San Diego:
Maintaining a sense of hope and awe for life can feel daunting amidst the mass shootings, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes that have hit our continent in the past two months. The Frida mural channels a feeling of relief and light during these dark times. How does Byers manage to remain positive? “I just think people should stay positive in general. People should use their talents to spread happiness.”