Location:   Alma Shab and Bientig Beil, Lebanon and Jayous Palestine

  Description:  In January 2009, artist from Precita Eyes Muralists were invited to work with youth in the towns of Bientige Beil and Alma Shab in the South of Lebanon and Jayous in the West Bank of Palestine. Leaders of these communities interested in alternative ways of channeling frustration and anger looked to muralism as a means to deal with community trauma arisen out of war, displacement, and oppression.

In Lebanon Precita Eyes Muralist worked with two different communities, painting a total of 5 murals in the span of two weeks. The community in Bientig Beil worked on themes such as solidarity, freedom and antiwar, while in Alma Shab, the community painted murals based on love and music. Partnering with with an NGO in Lebanon - Alternative Initiative Network - Precita Eyes Muralists trained young artists to work together and paint large-scale murals. The goal of the project was for the youth to continue to teach and collaborate with other youths throughout Lebanon.

In Jayous, Palestine, Precita Eyes muralist collaborated with 50 youth to paint a 60'x 15' foot mural. The youth of the Jayous designed a mural foretelling the story of the resilience needed for the people of Palestine to overcome institutional oppression, and gain freedom and equality. The images served as a creative protest to the isolation and inhuman conditions in which the Palestinians live in, in their occupied country. Among some of the images one sees are children, youths, and grandmothers protesting the occupation of Palestine, the apartheid wall being destroyed, and groves of olive trees growing. The title of the mural is "If You Cut One Tree; We Will Plant Ten More"

  Description:  The title of this mural was taken from a Philip K. Dick book titled Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. This collaborative youth mural depicts the anxieties these young artist faced with the question, What is the Future? Painted on the top left hand corner a mutated hand symbolizes mans grotesque growth apart of nature due to GMO and new technologies. At the center of the mural is white dove wearing a dollar sign charm on a gold chain. The dove caring on despite the gold chain weighing it down. Down to the left you see a remote control with the phrase George Bush Controls. A battle is shown through out the image between robots, people, and animal spirits. At the very top you see a white bird reach out his wings embracing our tantrums. The sunrays break through the image plain to offer warmth. This playful take on the contemporary issues that will effect our futures was painted in 2004 by the Urban Youth arts class.