Border Heritage Center: Carlos Callejo

Carlos Callejo was born 1951 in El Paso, TX at the San José Clinic in El Segundo (now the Annunciation House) and raised in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua from about age four to nine and now resides in California. He is a public artist who began producing posters and murals in the early 1970s and has since painted murals all over the world.

A vibrant and engaging storyteller, Carlos describes his early artistic experiences, relationships between art, identity, and self-expression, and shares his perspective on political poster-making, art, and significant events from the era. He attended CSULA and during the Chicano Mural Movement he helped design posters and flyers that called upon the community to fight as a united front. Callejo was active in the Chicano Movement in Southern California during the 1970s. He uses his life experiences to create a Chicano-style art that is both expressive and educational.

This interview is part of a video series in which poster artists share stories about art and activism. The interviews accompany Decade of Dissent: Democracy in Action 1965-1975, a traveling political poster art exhibition that premiered at the West Hollywood Library, February-April 2012. Both the exhibition and interviews were produced by the Center for the Study of Political Graphics.

Carlos Callejo was commissioned to paint the Eastside Wall Mural for the El Paso County courthouse in 1994. The videos highlight the process of painting the mural on the wall inside the courthouse. Using time lapse video the wall is transformed into a wall that speaks about the history of the El Paso - Juarez border city. The El Paso County Economic Development Department and Augment El Paso recently unveiled a high-tech digital upgrade bringing new life to the "Our History" courthouse mural with an augmented reality experience.

Carlos Callejo - El Paso County Courthouse 1994 Eastside Wall Mural 1st Segment

Carlos Callejo - El Paso County Courthouse 1994 Eastside Wall Mural 2nd Segment

Carlos Callejo - El Paso County Courthouse 1994 Eastside Wall Mural 3rd Segment

Carlos Callejo briefly talks about his mural "Our History" - A Graham Day Film

2024 marked the 30th anniversary of Carlos Callejo's mural, Discover the Secrets of the Universe Through Your Library, at the El Paso Public Library's Armijo branch library. Painted, on what was then, the exterior courtyard walls of the library, the mural reflects the Armijo community's Mexican-American, Chicano heritage and spoke to the ability to achieve what one dreams.

We, at the Border Heritage Center, created an online exhibit about the mural and it's progress. You can view the exhibit at the link below:

Carlos Callejo Exhibit

In honor of this special event Armijo Branch Manager, Deborah Valdez, organized to have the Armijo Mural Room officially renamed the Carlos Callejo Mural Room. The free event included a meet and greet with Callejo, refreshments, and live music from members of local band Radio La Chusma. The event also unveiled a plaque that will be placed in the multipurpose room in honor of Callejo, pictured below.