The Pambiche Cuban Mural

 
The central Havana architecture and tropical color scheme of the Apambichao Building, home of the Cuban restaurant Pambiche have long set the building apart from its neighbors. Now a new 50ft by 35ft mural on the building’s east wall captures the attention of pedestrians and motorists on this busy stretch of NE Glisan.

Twice-life-size versions of famed musicians Benny Moré and Celia Cruz, rich flora and fauna, and a host of cultural and historic figures tempt mural viewers to forget they are 3,000 miles away from the island nation of Cuba. Local artists Rachel Oleson and Emily Beeks completed the project earlier this October and Pambiche plans to host an official celebration in the Spring of 2012.

“The Pambiche mural project is a splendid addition to the City’s collection of murals,” Peggy Kendellen, public art manager at the Regional Arts and Culture Council, which contributed major funding to the project through the public art mural program. “It was an ambitious undertaking from beginning to end—from initial planning, selecting the artists, fine-tuning the design, and doing the actual painting.”  Pambiche and The Apambichao Building are the projects main sponsors, with additional funding provided by affiliated businesses and individuals.

Though the mural effortlessly blends with the building’s unique aesthetic, it was the product of a year’s work—Including nine months of planning before the scaffolding even went up. Pambiche owner John Connell-Maribona had been mulling over the concept of the mural for eight years, having interviewed artists from Veracruz, Mexico, San Francisco and Portland in the process. Initially, Oleson and Beeks were approached individually for the project, but both seemed like a perfect fit so Maribona offered they collaborate and merge their complementary styles.

The premise of the mural is to take viewers along a journey of discovery and pique public interest in Cuba’s fascinating and frequently misunderstood culture. Purposely left out are divisive images of revolution and conflict and in their stead symbols and emblems of unity for all Cuban people. The mural offers an opportunity for cultural diplomacy aimed at overcoming the political barriers that separate the two long-estranged neighbors.

Even the process of creating the mural was an exercise in reimagining barriers as opportunities. Obtrusive windows in the building’s upper stories disappear into folds of fabric, unsightly vents are disguised as festive three-dimensional palm trees, and a challenging central recessed area anchors the piece with Cuba’s coat of arms.

In the evening, lighting illuminates the mural’s dominant figure, Cuba’s beloved “Virgin of Charity,” who is symbolically depicted guiding three men in a boat to safety through stormy waters. And on a clear day, the angels above her fade into the Portland sky.

Housing the popular Cuban restaurant, and now this new work of art, Pambiche stands as a three-dimensional love letter to Cuba.
“Kudos to John for having the vision, to the artists for their creative passion and to everyone in the community who supported this grand effort.” – Peggy Kendellen, RACC

About the Artists

Rachel Oleson grew up in Massachusetts and earned a B.F.A. in sculpture and minor in art history from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. She represented artists from all over New England at several different galleries before uprooting to the West Coast. A seasonal job on Puget Sound led to a couple of years of travel, and wanderlust has never left her system. Although her training was highly focused on the human figure, place has special significance to her. She has lived and worked in many shockingly beautiful places, including the Adirondacks, the Florida Everglades, Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, the Big Island of Hawaii, the Grand Canyon, Glacier Park, and northern New Mexico. She is intrigued by the socially engaging nature of public art and enjoys listening to people’s stories. She loves the thrill of bringing histories to life through her art. www.pulsefineart.com

Emily Beeks is a self-taught artist. She was born in Idaho and has lived in Spain, the Czech Republic, Iowa and Oregon.  She graduated from the University of Oregon where she studied Spanish, Philosophy and Sociology. Her work is largely inspired by the objects and oddities of days gone by, such as past scientific inventions, early exploration, folklore and cabinets of curiosity.  She is also influenced by the changing nature of language and public opinion. One aspect of large-scale pieces that she truly enjoys is the sense it gives her of being able to stand inside her own work of art. Also working as a server at Pambiche, Beeks appreciates the opportunity to interact with customers about the mural.

About RACC

Through vision, leadership, and service, the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) works to integrate arts and culture in all aspects of community life. RACC has served the Portland tri-county area since its inception in 1995, when the city’s Metropolitan Arts Commission transitioned into a separate not-for-profit organization based upon the recommendation of ArtsPlan 2000+.

RACC is the steward of several public and private investments in arts and culture, and works to create an environment in which the arts and culture of the region can flourish and prosper. RACC is funded in part by local, regional, state and federal governments to provide grants to artists and operating support to art organizations in the tri-county region. (Funders include the City of Portland, Metro, and Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington Counties, the Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Cultural Trust and the National Endowment for the Arts.
 

Very Special Thanks

Thank you to the following businesses and individuals for their support of the Cuban Mural Project at Pambiche:

SYSCO 
SP PROVISIONS
NEW SYSTEM
D’VINE WINE 
COMMERCIAL DISHWASHER
CUBANISIMO WINES
SUNSHINE DAIRY FOODS 
STUMPTOWN COFFEE ROASTERS 
PACIFIC COAST FRUIT COMPANY 
ROSE’S EQUIPMENT & SUPPLY
PORTLAND DISPOSAL & RECYCLING 
INTERSTATE PEST MANAGEMENT
METROPOLITAN SERVICES 
ALOHA JUICE COMPANY 
TRI-COUNTY HVAC
 
AIMEX INTERNATIONAL (503) 706-6067
CENTRAL PLUMBING (503) 771-5820
FIRST CALL CONSTRUCTION (360) 546-3900
 
Maria Ninfa Maribona
Madrina Zurina Rioseco
Dr. Ada C. Pereyra
Chunchi Maribona

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