Blog Post 2: Street Art

The Great Mural of Cusco

Naturally, being a protected World Heritage site, the Machu Picchu does not feature any street art. In spite of this limitation, however, various avenues of artistic expression exist around the site, notably in the communities or cities near it. These ‘gates’ to Machu Picchu allow for unofficial perspectives of the site to be imparted to the visiting tourists and remain a key means of communication for the Indigenous population.

One such example of street art is The Great Mural of Cusco, a 50-meter tall and 6-meter-wide testament to the struggles and history of the Indigenous population of the region. It presents these people as a constant, developing force that continues to maintain their culture and history despite the conventional idea of them being ‘ancient’ or ‘lost.’ While originally a form of rebellion, the artwork has made a name for itself as an unofficial tourist attraction that many travellers and tourists see en route to the Machu Picchu from Cusco.

Critically, the mural performs exactly the kind of work Millner identifies in her analysis of street art as “visual poetics”. It is art with a critical impulse, capable of confronting institutional narratives (Millner, 2017). In this case, the mural offers a direct counter-narrative to the “mystical lost city” branding of Machu Picchu. It insists that the story isn’t over and that the people aren’t gone. The way it preludes people’s visits to the Machu Picchu and is such a modern form of expression helps to directly challenge the essentialist view of the site – highlighting the power of street art.

Millner, J. (2017). Visual poetics: The critical impulse in street art. In J. Millner (Ed.), Visual poetics: The critical impulse in street art (pp. 1–10).

Inkayni Peru Tours. (n.d.). Great mural of Cusco – considered the biggest mural of South America. https://www.inkayniperutours.com/blog/great-mural-of-cusco-considered-the-biggest-mural-of-south-america

Image: Tripadvisor. (n.d.). Great Mural Of Cusco – All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go. https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Attraction_Review-g294314-d27926320-Reviews-Great_Mural_Of_Cusco-Cusco_Cusco_Region.html