The Mural That Should’ve Been

"El Mural Que Debió Ser" (The Mural That Should Have Been) is an important artistic project located in Oaxaca, Mexico, aiming to visualize the vision of María Izquierdo, a prominent female artist of the 20th century. Izquierdo intended to create a mural that depicted the history of Mexico City through female perspectives, but her project was cancelled due to alleged resistance from prominent male muralists in the 1940s. In March 2021, curators and volunteers revived her vision on an exterior wall, creating a mural that exclusively features female characters to emphasize feminist narratives in art. This restoration took place on International Women’s Day, with a group of 110 volunteers, and underscores both historical and contemporary women’s roles in Mexican culture. The mural captures themes of empowerment and recognition for women in art, against the backdrop of Izquierdo’s significant but often overlooked legacy.