Historic East Los Angeles Community Mural Prepares to Turn 45

East Los Angeles-based Pan American Bank today announced that its historic community mural will turn 45 years-old at year-end. Completed in 1966 by legendary Mexican artist Jose Reyes Meza, the Pan American Bank mural set the stage in East Los Angeles for the birth of the mural tradition that featured both ornamental murals as well as murals highlighting the social issues affecting East Los Angeles’ Chicano community.

“What East Los Angeles has lacked over the decades, it has more than compensated for through artistic talent – both home-grown and imported,” said Pan American Bank CEO Jesse Torres. “Since its early days, Pan American Bank has known that its connection to the East Los Angeles community has to originate from something other than the sale of financial products. Connecting through art is one way the Bank better relates to the largely Mexican-American community that places a great value on heritage and family.”

Comprised of a set of five panels, the work of Jose Reyes Meza provides an exciting and finely detailed story of the battle between the “indios” and the Spaniards. The work was created using an Art Deco approach and modeled by shadow to make the characters resemble pre-Columbian reliefs. Community murals such as the one at Pan American Bank contributed to the general atmosphere of ethnic art that populated Chicano murals. The Pan American Bank mural also provided guidance to subsequent artists with respect to the imagery and style in their art. The mural is located at 3626 East First Street, Los Angeles, California 90063.

“One way that Pan American Bank seeks to relate to the local community is through the works of local artists. Our 2010 debit card will feature the work of a local Mexican-born artist. Also, our main branch maintains a viewing area where local artists are welcome to feature their works for the community to explore,” said CEO Torres. “Our goal is to be more than just a bank. We want to be a community hub, bringing together the local community through non-bank activities, including the arts. It gives me great pleasure to know that our mural is included in the same class as masters such as Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros.”

Established in 1964, Pan American Bank is California’s oldest Latino-owned bank. Headquartered in East Los Angeles, Pan American Bank serves the needs of the Latino communities in Los Angeles and Santa Ana. Founded by former U.S. Treasurer Romana Acosta Banuelos, the Bank has stayed true to its mission of transforming and empowering Latino communities through banking relationships built on trust, service, respect, communication, and guidance. Pan American Bank’s Facebook page can be found at bit.ly/pab-facebook. The Bank’s blog is found at PanAmericanBank.blogspot.com. Pan American Bank can be followed on Twitter at @PanAmericanBank.”

Leave a Reply