Klein Park Public Art Project

Artist Diego Medina has been commissioned to install a public art project in Klein Park by the City Art Board and Quality of Life/Las Cruces Public Art Program. 

Mr. Medina describes his project as follows:

“'Adonde vivan los indios' quote taken from an old, local newspaper clipping in reference to the Mesquite district, this quote references the notion of survivance—especially cultural survivance—in the heart of downtown.

Klein Park is the center of Las Cruces, New Mexico. It is the heart of the culture that grew from the original townsite, and the extension from the history that precedes it. This mural will be an important piece of public art that enlivens the original townsite of Las Cruces and showcases the beautiful and complex history of the Mesilla Valley.

Everything we know about contemporary Las Cruces to be emanated outward from the heart of the Mesquite district. It is the fulcrum between our Indigenous past and our Indigenous future.

Therefore, creating an image that invoked past, present and future all at once is important for emphasizing the importance of the Las Cruces townsite as a place of cultural emanation and survivance."

Diego Medina's concept design for mural on Klein Park walls. Continuous pattern throughout park perimeter inspired by regional pottery floral designs, interspersed with vignettes of landscape/historical scenes.

The point of this mural is to utilize abstract Indigenous design and pattern as a storytelling device. This will also allow for efficient community engagement in filling in colors and space on the perimeter wall.

In 2014, City Council approved the Parks and Recreation Department master plan for Klein Park. The 2014 Klein Park Master Plan has many options for including art. 

In 2021, the City Art Board invited community members from the Historic Mesquite District to take the Klein Park Public Art Survey to tell them what kind of art they would like to see in Klein Park. The data collected was be taken into consideration when accepting Mr. Medina's public art project for Klein Park.