Brisa Tzintzun is Mata Ruda’s right-hand assistant in creating the School of Art’s new mural, and is excited to bring the mural’s vision to life, revitalizing the Arts District as a unique gateway to the Arizona campus.
The new mural is located on the Speedway Boulevard side of the Joseph Gross Gallery.
Tzintzun is a senior at the School of Art about to graduate, majoring in Studio Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design. She is no stranger when it comes to working with the internationally-renowned muralist and alumni Karlito Miller Espinosa (MFA ’19), aka Mata Ruda, having collaborated with him for “Sonora” on the Historic Y building in downtown Tucson in 2019.
“I feel incredibly privileged to be able to work with Karlito again, as I’m getting first-hand experience working with an established professional,” she said. “It was such a great experience, allowing me to really see his thought process from the very beginning. (Images in the mural) are not just regular objects for him, he strategically choses and places items for people to find a deeper meaning.
“Many students, including myself, often find inspiration for our arts in our surroundings, whether that inspiration comes through the sunsets we see, the desert wildlife or plants that surround us, or even some deeper things such as immigration issues or political views. It is great to see how he always had that in mind as well.”
Karlito wants Tzintzun to see herself as an empowered artist in the real world.
“The most influential thing that teaching has done to my own practice as an artist is that it has actually taught me how to collaborate in new constructive and discursive ways with students,” said Karlito. “I see a reflection of my younger self in students such as Brisa, and I want to facilitate opportunities for them where they can see themselves not just as art students in a studio or a classroom but as empowered artists in the real world.”
The mural is part of the arts renaissance at the university.
“Karlito’s mural is an important component of our ongoing efforts to elevate the arts on campus,” said Arizona’s Vice President for the Arts, Andrew Schulz. “This visually compelling work announces in a very public and visible way that ‘creativity happens here.’”
The mural’s symbolic content represents the School of Art, but also what makes the Southwest, Arizona and Tucson special.
“It’s concentrated on what the School of Art represents, but also the cultural aspects of Tucson,” she said. “Murals are fascinating as there are always hidden messages. You don’t directly see a pallet of paint, but instead need to find the meaning behind each and every item.”
Like a hummingbird, a traditional Tohono O’odham woven basket, a reflection in the camera lens.
A typical day of painting starts with Karlito setting out goals on what he wants to achieve for the day.
“It’s collaborative but also individualistic work, because we get into our own zones when painting but come back together when we’re done. Our ending time varies, sometimes we’re so into it that we keep painting until the sun has set.”
Tzintzun is excited to see Arizona Art’s vision in connecting the different types of art on campus to come to fruition.
“This is definitely something we needed,” she said. “Within our colleges, we are very isolated, so it’s nice to have the mural as a reminder that all of us are a whole, instead of individuals.”
What advice does she have for aspiring artists?
She tells students to always take chances even if they’re intimidating right off the bat. “Don’t be afraid and always be curious, because curiosity can lead to opportunities.”