Art Lake City | In Plain Site | Visual Arts

Mutavision’s “Guabancex” Reflects on Themes of Strength, Culture and the Power of Women

A vibrant mural titled 'Guabancex' by artist Muta Santiago, featuring a serene blue-toned portrait of a woman with her eyes closed, surrounded by abstract shapes and patterns symbolizing the elements of wind and water. The mural honors the Taino deity who controls hurricanes and pays tribute to the strong women in the artist's life.

You’ll have to go a little further afield to find Muta Santiago’s mural for the 2024 Los Muros on Main, Midvale City’s annual mural festival. But it’s worth the meandering.

“Guabancex,” is on the side of Purple Penguin Car Wash (762 W Smelter Street), north and west of Main Street proper. Named for a Taino deity who controls the winds and water of hurricanes, the work is  a metaphor “of the winds of my culture, home, and upbringing allowing me to take art all across the states and hopefully the world,” says the artist. “At the same time I also thought of my mother and all of the strong women who had raised me with their ferocity and strength allowing this to also become into a small tribute to them.”

The mural features a serene, blue-toned portrait of a woman with her eyes closed, embodying tranquility amidst swirling abstract shapes. The use of blue hues evokes the elements of wind and water, while the gentle lines and patterns on the woman’s face and surrounding elements add a sense of motion and fluidity.

Muta Santiago, also known as Mutavision, is a Hispanic American visual artist and muralist based in Miami, Florida. Known for his portraiture, experimental, and commercial work, Santiago regularly contributes to various public and cultural movements throughout North America, Latin America, and online through the power of street art.

 

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