La Delicia

My mural at La Delicia is meant to celebrate the Dominican Republic and more broadly, la Herencia Hispana. Milciades, the owner of La Delicia, told me that he wanted a mural that would feel like coming home to anyone that walked into his restaurant, as Salem’s Point neighborhood has such a diverse makeup of residents that come from all over. He said that as an immigrant, he’s always thinking in two places, both over here and over there; Milciades wanted his patrons to feel that they are both at home here in Salem, but to fondly think of their homes over there, too. I included a lot of different imagery from different Hispanic, Latino, and island cultures, both shared and culturally specific, that Milciades shared with me, such as the vihuela, tumbadora, and fruits that are native to the DR, other islands, and Latin America such as the guava, pineapple, and papaya, as well as a flamingo (native to the Caribbean, Mexico, and South America), and of course the chicken, a universal staple.

Aesthetically, I was inspired by vintage travel posters from the 1930s that use limited palettes and strong shapes and color to create a vivid image of a place and time that fills you with the longing to be there. I chose a limited palette of vibrant yellows, oranges, pinks, and purples to convey a feeling of Summer warmth under bright sunshine. Finally, I made sure that the couple dining in my mural were dining on the very dishes you can find at La Delicia, including their costillas al horno, sancocho, mofongo, and spaguettis. I hope that when people view the mural they feel welcomed into the space and a warmth like being bathed in sunshine, with a delicious meal from home in front of you.