Pillars of Culture

Michael Schnorr may be gone, but his trio of iconic Chicano Park murals live on. In fact, thanks to an ambitious cleaning and restoration project, his towering masterpieces under the Coronado Bridge are brighter and more beautiful than ever.

Schnorr ended his life in a tragic jump from the same Coronado Bridge last summer. His suicide shocked and saddened human rights activists and artists around the world. The brilliant and enigmatic professor of arts had recently retired and had told friends he was looking forward to working on the restoration of his world-famous murals.
Todd Stands, an SWC adjunct photography instructor and accomplished artist, helped restore the murals and chronicled the process with his camera.

“I saw how old and new artists came together to restore the murals and decided to document the project,” he said.

Another original artist that returned to assist with the restorations was Armando Nuñez.

“The 1970s was a time of social change and I could feel the magic in the air while working on the project,” he said.

Plans to restore Chicano Park murals have been brewing for more than a decade. Restoration started a year and a half ago. A grant of approximately $1.6 million provided the restoration group enough for almost every aspect of restoring Chicano Park. Hundreds of artists came to take part in the community action.

Stands photographed the entire 18-month restoration, often climbing three-story high scaffolding to get the right position. He also helped to retouch Schnorr’s murals “Undocumented Workers,” “To the Stars Breaking Down Walls” and “Thoughts of Change.”

SWC students and alumni pitched in.

“Helping restore the park was such an amazing experience,” said Montserrat Granados, 24, an art major.

Students worked on “Undocumented Workers,” inspired by one of Schnorr’s trips to Afghanistan. He related the immigrant issues of Central Asia and the Middle East to those of the U.S.-Mexico border.

All of the artwork is very symbolic and most paintings have an explanation at their feet. Each composition is meant to express a universal message, said Stands.

“Schnorr was always videotaping and documenting,” he said. “He had tons of footage, most of which is unedited.”

Immigration was the subject of much of Schnorr’s work.  His creations include a miles-long Dia de Los Muertos display on the Mexican side of the border fence and “portable” representations of graveyards of migrants who died crossing the border.

Stands said he did not alter designs out of respect for Schnorr. He said he enjoyed the process and the people.

“The artists were full of life and so much fun just to hang out with,” he said. “A genuine good time.”

Stands said many original artists who could not help restore the murals themselves came to watch or had family and friends assist, he said. Sometimes as many as 15 artists worked on a mural. During the project they decided to add important faces. Schnorr’s face is included a mural, as is the cheerful visage of legendary Chicano recording artist Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez of Los Alacranes.

“I would like to see young up-and-coming artists try to find their voice support and create more art on the empty walls,” said Stands. “Mexican descent is not a necessity. Schnorr was not Mexican. It is more about the message and issues that the people are trying to bring up.”

Nancy Curry, a Mexican-American Studies teacher at San Ysidro High School, said she was inspired by the experience.

“I love taking my students to see the amazing murals,” she said. “I am proud to say some of my former students went and helped with the restoration.”

Chicano Park mural restoration projects were honored with the Grand Orchid Award last fall at the annual Orchid and Onions Awards ceremony at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Arts.