I love how the iconography of Christianity, Catholicism, and the mariachi tradition blend seamlessly in this work. Also, that the artist included their names, their website and a contact phone number makes it easier for your correspondent to make some follow-up questions. I didn’t get a chance to talk to the main man himself, Hector, but I did get to speak with his son, Levi. Levi tells me that he’s not sure, but he thinks the mariachi pictured is the legendary Vicente Fernandez, which was independently confirmed by Abran, my personal mariachi consultant in Phoenix. And it's really no surprise to me, because I've always believed that when there is eventually peace on Earth, Don Chente will be in charge of the soundtrack.
This mural is in an alley off of Gage between Pacific and Rugby. Because it is in an alley, I could only back up so much and couldn’t really capture this awesome mural in it’s entirely. I hope to visit other Los Angeles works by Hector Ponce, and promise to bring better pics than this. In the meantime, you can check out www.hectorponce.com. Not only will you learn more about Hector and his work, but you can also view a photo essay of the "Paz en la Tierra" mural project. That's where I found this candid of one of Hector's assistants enjoying the snack to which we dedicate all of our journalism on this site. The photos reveal that, once again, it's all about the taco lifestyle.
