Murals, Gentrification, and the Hidden Risks of Painting in Public
By Zipolita (Tina Winterlik)
Watch First & Follow
I’m thrilled to share my reflections on Project Muralize, murals, and the awkward intersections of art, community, and visibility — but first, please check out my short video where I tell the story behind my mermaid murals under the Burrard Bridge:
And if you’d like to follow along with my future mural adventures, sketches, and behind-the-scenes process, please join me on Instagram:
📸 Zipolita’z Artworks
Murals, Memory, and the Power of Community
Reading about Project Muralize in Vancouver’s Chinatown fills me with both joy and a little sadness. Joy, because I think it’s a fabulous initiative—murals have so much power to transform spaces, restore dignity, and spark pride in a community. Sadness, because despite trying hard to offer my services for projects like this, I’ve often felt invisible, not picked, and left outside the circle.
That’s why I painted murals in Kitsilano—to keep creating, to give my work to the city, even when no one officially invited me in. I’ll never forget what someone from Goodbye Graffiti told me. He was assigned to paint over my mermaid murals under the Burrard Bridge. He explained that in Chinatown, whenever he painted over graffiti—or even murals—people would harass him. But erasing my mermaids was, in his words, “a nice peaceful day.”
There’s something deeply ironic in that. My work, which was meant to beautify and uplift, was painted over without protest—while elsewhere, communities fight to preserve murals because they see themselves in the art.
It’s Interesting Who Funds What
What I also find interesting is that it’s the police (through the Vancouver Police Foundation) who are funding Project Muralize. On one hand, it’s encouraging to see law enforcement recognize that art can be a powerful tool for community-building and even crime prevention. On the other, it raises questions about who gets chosen, who gets supported, and what kinds of art—and artists—are seen as “acceptable.”
Artwashing, Real Estate, and Who Benefits
We also have to talk about artwashing. Sometimes murals aren’t only about culture or community—they’re used to increase real estate value. Colorful walls can make a neighborhood look vibrant and “investment-ready,” even as longtime residents and small businesses are priced out. I love public art, and I believe in its healing power—but if it’s used to smooth over displacement, it risks betraying the very communities it’s supposed to uplift.
The Part You Don’t See: Safety
Another truth muralists don’t always talk about: painting in public can be scary. When I worked under the Burrard Bridge—or even in Kits— I wore my bike helmet not just for paint splatters but for safety. You never know what can happen when your back is turned and your mind is deep in the work. More than once, my gut said, “Get down right now, watch your back,” and moments later someone I was right to be nervous about showed up. Other muralists have spoken about harassment while painting in public—it’s real. Artists give beauty to the city, but we’re also vulnerable while we do it.
Why I’m Sharing This Now
I’m happy for the artists involved in Project Muralize and for the community pride that can come from it. I also share this to say: there are many of us who have been painting and dreaming for years, often without institutional backing, and sometimes even having our work erased. Art in public spaces matters, and it should belong to the community—not only to gatekeepers or real estate interests.
Life Update, Hopes & What’s Next
I haven’t been able to find steady work lately, and last winter I couldn’t make it back to Mexico—which was really hard on me. I’m hopeful I can return this year. I’m planning to write a book and, I hope, paint more murals—both here and there. That’s where my heart is.
How You Can Support Me
- 🔁 Share this post with friends and community groups.
- 📸 Follow me on Instagram: Zipolita’z Artworks
- 🎥 Watch & share my video: Rebel Mermaid – Part 1
- 🖌️ Hire me or commission a mural. I’m available for community projects, storefronts, and indoor spaces.
- 🤝 Introduce me to organizers, business owners, or festivals looking for artists.
Question for readers: Do murals belong to the community, or to those who profit from real estate? Who should decide what stays and what gets painted over?
Source on Project Muralize: Global News coverage by Kristen Robinson — “Project Muralize aims to revitalize Vancouver’s Chinatown.”
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