Aquí nos quedamos
Community Mural @Río Piedras, P.R.
Recently completed, final pictures coming soon!
Moriviví team working on 86 foot tall wall during mural installation
We recently completed Aquí nos quedamos (Here, We Will Remain) is a community project that aims to highlight and reaffirm the right of communities to remain in Puerto Rico. It is a collaborative project between Junta Comunitaria de Río Piedras (Río Piedras Community Board) and Fideicomiso de Río Piedras (Río Piedras Trust), CAUCE, with the participation of the community members of Río Piedras, Puerto Rico.
This project stems from the exhibition “Vaivén: 21st-Century Art of Puerto Rico and Its Diaspora,” at Nash Gallery in the University of Minnesota, which intentionally connected Puerto Rico and its diaspora. Creating a link between Minnesota and Puerto Rico, we are collaborating with Puerto Rican artist Olivia Levin-Holdens, a resident of Minnesota, in the creation of two modular murals from P.R. and M.N., reflecting on displacement, migration, and the struggle to remain.
The mural depicts the Río Piedras river, the eight communities that are part of the town center, and more importantly the community bridging its bonds across land, water and nationalities. Some of the symbolisms found in the mural are the dinner table doubling as landscape and bridge, migratory birds such as the Pitirre and Reinitas, and water as passage and connection. The phrase Aquí nos quedamos was chosen by community members to be the emphasis of the design.
The Puerto Rico based community mural is approximately 86 feet high by 40 feet wide. It is the tallest and largest mural we have ever created as a collective. The final phase of the project was successfully completed on September, 2026.
Objectives
1
Articulation of visual narratives
of resilience through the identification of symbols and elements to address our communities' right to remain Connection with the Puerto Rican diaspora in MN and collaboration between artists
2
Contribution to the collective imaginary
Contributing to our narratives of resilience and imagining a future for our community.
Our largest mural yet will have huge impact at the heart of Río Piedras!
3
Connection between communities and efforts:
Connection with the Puerto Rican diaspora in MN and collaboration between artists
4
Collective Healing &
Restorative Justice
Facilitation of workshops and community murals that offer the therapeutic and meditative benefits of art.
2026 Activities
Mural Studio Production
As part of the 2026 stages, we held our last community painting session and then Colectivo Moriviví painted the details of the mural in their studio. This mural is being created using the polytab technique, where the mural is painted over 5ft by 5ft pieces of polytab fabric to then be installed permanently on the wall.
The municipality of San Juan's Public Art Department cleaned and prepared the huge wall for Moriviví. Our team was able to then install the polytab on a smooth, well prepared surface.
Wall Prep & Mural Installation
Retouches and Design completion
Once installed, we have to retouch the painting on all the mismatched seams. For this design, we focused on the center of the wall, but the lateral sections were still in need of painting and integration. We incorporated architectural designs from Puerto Rico's creole gates and balcony grilles. We also painted yellow oak flowers typically found in Río Piedras.
Once all the retouches and painting is done we signed the mural. Then we proceeded to waterproof and UV protect the mural with gel medium and sealer. Now, we are celebrating this amazing achievement!
Sealing and Celebrating!
2025 Activities
Community Workshops
Community Brainstorming Workshops were held to come up with the mural design. In these workshops community members further developed the ideas and themes behind the mural. They also suggested elements to incorporate and critiqued the final design.
Community Paint parties were held to incorporate community members into the painting process. The complete underpainting is completed thorugh these parties. People get to appreciate the scale of the project and participate in the creative process.
Community Painting Sessions
Colectivo Moriviví paints the details on the mural in their studio. This mural is being created using the polytab technique, where the mural is painted over 5ft by 5ft pieces of polytab fabric to then be installed permanently on the wall.
Collaborators
