There’s something grounding about seeing a story grow on a wall.
Las Tres Hermanas, a collaboration by Lead Artist Ruben Moreno with Melo Dominguez, Antonio Lucero, and Gerardo Frias, is painted on the west-facing wall of the old Wig-O-Rama building in downtown Tucson. It’s best viewed from the gravel lot behind the Chicago Music Store, where the mural reveals itself fully, framed by parked cars and sunlight.
This mural is a tribute to the Indigenous agricultural practice of planting corn, beans, and squash together… the “Three Sisters.” It’s a method based on interdependence and care, where each plant supports the others in structure, nutrients, and protection.
In the mural, the sisters appear as three powerful women, each with a distinct presence and palette. Corn, beans, and squash are represented not as illustrations but as lived identities – woven into their surroundings through gesture, dress, and backdrop. The colors are vivid: blue skies, deep oranges, leafy greens, and florals that pulse with movement.
At the center stands an elder in embroidered white, holding a basket and flanked by swirling white smoke. Her gaze is steady. To her sides, two younger women stand tall, one with a ribbon-trimmed blouse and bean vines behind her, the other in golden wrap garments, eyes closed in stillness. The mural doesn’t ask to be interpreted. It just holds its place.
Photographer Jerry Peek documented the mural throughout its development, and the image shown here is one of his. You can explore more of his photos and observations on his April post and follow-up in May.
Las Tres Hermanas reminds us that some vital stories aren’t shouted. They’re grown. And sometimes, they’re painted on walls… where everyone can see.
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📍 Location: 61 E Congress St, Tucson, AZ 85701, USA
📸 Image by Jerry Peek. Used with permission.
