San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

Artists celebrate Israel’s birthday

Three graffiti artists from Artists for Israel, known as Broker, 2ease and Gloss Black, created a giant canvas in front of Hepner Hall yesterday. Aztecs for Israel invited the group to campus to celebrate Israel’s 65th birthday.

“Art unifies; it makes people come together,” 2ease said. “You don’t have to be Jewish. You don’t have to be anything.”

The artwork portrayed a variety of San Diego State logos, including a bright red Aztec face with feathered headgear, the word “artists” in the school’s colors and the image of Hepner Hall.

“I think it is a great idea to have art as a modality for conversation,” Israel on Campus Coalition West Coast Regional Manager Aviva Frank said. “The canvas becomes the space were people can dialogue with each other. A lot of times we think of dialogue projects as people just sitting around, but I think there is something very beautiful about bringing in the arts.”

Students were encouraged to graffiti the back of the mural, resulting in a plethora of amateur drawings displayed behind the professional work.

“(It’s) a little bit of an artistic break to my day,” journalism and media studies junior Rebecca Herndon said. “I don’t know much about their mission. I just stopped by to spray.”

Another passerby was Associated Students Diversity Commissioner Washington Navarrete.

“In a sense, by showing your culture on campus—whether people agree or disagree—will spark that first dialogue,” Navarrete said. “Having it in the center of campus makes a visual impact. This is the first step.”

Next to the canvas, another campus student organization, the Jewish Student Union, passed out cupcakes and other small gifts in commemoration of the anniversary.

The event was funded by the Cultural Arts and Special Events board and the Jewish National Fund.

Artist 2ease said he wants people to react to his art more than anything else.

“It’s about making people think. Graffiti’s powerful,” 2ease said. “Even if it is a negative reaction, you still reacted to it. If some reaction comes from it, you know you did something right.”

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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Artists celebrate Israel’s birthday