Why did political revolutions lead to a revival of public muralism in Cuba and Nicaragua?

Political and social revolutions in late 20th-century Latin America inspired a resurgence of muralism as a vital tool for communication with the non-gallery-going public. In both Cuba (beginning in the 1960s) and Nicaragua (in the 1980s), the revival of public muralism served as a means to engage the masses directly, often through collective efforts that bypassed individual artistic signatures.1

This movement was driven by a desire to democratize art and reflect the immediate social and political concerns of the populace. In Nicaragua, the Sandinista government actively promoted "democratizing, national, anti-imperialist" art forms, establishing organizations such as the Sandinista Association of Cultural Workers to sponsor professional artists and create popular workshops. By painting on public walls, artists in these nations transformed urban spaces into sites of political expression, ensuring that art remained accessible and relevant to the revolutionary goals of their respective societies.12