Transnational Solidarity in Generations

Images courtesy of Kevin Hayes

In 1976, a mural was painted here at the University of Leeds by a group of Chilean exiles, who had left their home in the midst of a cruel and violent military dictatorship. The mural was a copy of one in Santiago, which was eventually destroyed. Over the years, the mural became damaged and hidden – but in 2019, after a student recognised the work, the mural was restored. In fact, it is not far from where our exhibition was held in the Leeds University Union building. You can find it just to the left of the the helpdesk at the entrance, room GR.22

You can read more about solidarity in Leeds here.

Also in 2019, the mural was recreated as a cloth banner at the annual Victor Jara Festival in Machynlleth, Wales. This project was made possible by Mogs Russell and Tim Hollins, who arranged an outline of the Leeds mural to be projected onto the cloth, while visitors came and painted it over the course of a weekend.

You can learn more about the festival here.

The images here were taken by Kevin Hayes, a documentary photographer whose work focuses on labour and social movement struggles, community campaigns, cultural celebrations and world music performers. In one of the photographs, we see Tatiana Hernandez-De Ceapog and her son, Luca, who travelled to the festival to contribute to the painting. On the phone, we see Tatiana’s father, Gilberto Hernandez, one of the original painters of the mural at Leeds. Unable to make it in person, he joined via video call.

You can see more of Kevin’s photography here.