Every time I drive down Main headed toward the Mercado, I pass a place labeled “Barrio Anita.” My interest piqued, I knew I had to come back. Parking seemed to be the challenge.
It was worth the extra effort. Sal and I found a treasure trove of interesting stuff.
We started at Herrera Park and the Oury Center (co-located with Davis School). This community center at St Mary’s Road and I-10 is comprised of the center, a pool, a park (including basketball courts and a baseball field). What caught our eyes was the mosaic on the “outfield” wall. It shows symbols and scenes of people, church and community.
The mural on the center itself features everything from Cesar Chavez to Mission San Xavier del Bac to Aztec symbols to Christ. And done in a near “aerosol” look.
We also took a detour over to Main Street to take in the metal gazebo sculpture “Bike Church.” It is a combination display and memorial to cyclists and cycling. The structure is comprised of bike parts assembled into a cube and painted white.
One last take in was the “tile-ography” found on the edges of the Interstate underpass. Black and white family type photos reproduced as tile mosaics best viewed from a distance.
Another collection of historical and cultural images in a little-noticed neighborhood in the city.
Sweeping up the pieces of Tucson.
Relentless
