Mural in La Atarazana upsets because using real people

The mural located in the Gilbert Menendez Avenue overpass in La Atarazana, Guayaquil, has generated controversy due many of its characters in the work are real people from nowadays.

Juan Pablo Toral, author of the work, says he decided to use real people to recreate the Spanish characters and slaves who worked in the shipyard in colonial Guayaquil under his judgment and not as an order of the Council. He added that in the paint was included Andrew Roche, Carlos De Tomaso and Henrry Cucalón because they are his “friends” .

Toral used Andrés Roche, director of the Municipal Transit, Carlos de Tomaso, adviser of the Mayor, Assemblyman Henry Cucalón (PSC-MG,) and others who, according to the artist, “works for the Government.” It also included historical personalities as Efren Aviles.

“I put them on the mural because I needed models to capture the realism of the work,” said the artist. Toral also said he presented to the Municipality a sketch “about how it would be the work”, but he never explained who would be there.

On the other hand, Maria de los Angeles Duarte, Minister of Public Works, criticized the appearance of Roche and other municipal officials in that mural. But the artist defended her work and said “this is a historic representational mural” and not political.