"Protección“ by Los Calladitos & Sr. Papá Chango

A feeling of comfort 

Since we are aware that we do not choose our own family, we always attempt to surround ourselves with people with whom we have something in common, people who make us laugh and who cuddle us, but above all who love us and take care of us. Be it a childhood friendship or high school love, human relationships are complicated, but they all have one thing in common: love.

This is what we are able to see in the mural Protección (Protection), which was painted jointly by the collective Los Calladitos and Sr. Papá Chango in Germany with the idea of collaborating without intervening in or changing the style of the others.

In this diptych we see two figures, one next to the other. The one on the right is a pudgy and hairy monster wearing pants with suspenders, and smiling toward the left. He is holding a photo in his thin arms. On the other side we see a man with a beard and mustache who is wearing a poncho; he is looking at the monster and is also holding a photo.

Both are illuminated by a light in the middle, and we realize that each is holding a photo of the other, which infinitely multiplies this sense of protection because we can see that those depicted in the photos are likewise holding photos – and so on to the point where it is impossible to see them in any detail.

This collaborative work not only brings the streets of Germany to life, but also conveys a feeling of comfort in a difficult time. A friend who hugs you and takes care of you, a simple act of love.