Mini-mural festival adding social justice, equality artwork to downtown Bend
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The High Desert Mural Festival and Scalehouse, an arts center, are putting together a mini-mural festival in downtown Bend this weekend, with a special theme.
"Everybody's murals kind of focus on some sort of theme that has to do with justice and equality, equity," said Bekha Bailla, one of three artists selected to design and paint a mural for the festival, said Friday.
The murals being painted along Tin Pan Alley are meant to spark conversations around social justice and equality.
"The first thing I saw (that) was in my head when I was given that theme was a group of women of color embracing each other and hugging each other," said Jessica Amascual, another artist painting a mural.
Amascual said her artwork is reflective of last year's social inequality protests that happened around the nation.
"I think last year, with so much of what happened (regarding the Black Lives Matter movement, it) was riling people up and dividing people so forcefully," Amascual said.
She added that she wants her artwork to allow people to question their stance on social justice.
"It’s okay to be wrong," she said. "It’s okay to learn new things and change your mind with new information."
Bailla, Amascual and fellow artist Evan Namkung will be working on their murals for the Equality and Justice Mini-Mural event through the weekend, until Sunday.
