Michael Bushnell
Reporter

This week as part of our ongoing Avenue Mural spotlight, we’re taking an in depth look at muralist Jose Faus and his LISC commissioned mural entitled “Soccer Around the Globe” located at 3831 Independence Avenue. 

Dedicated on October, 6th, 2010, the 42’ by 16’ mural was Faus’s second community-themed mural in Northeast. His first was a mural at St. John and Askew depicting a community market that has since been painted over.  

Originally from Bogata, Colombia, Faus received degrees from the University of Missouri at Kansas City in painting and creative writing and was a founder of the Latino Writers Collective. 

One element stands out in all of Faus’s mural work, the celebration of living in a diverse culture.

Soccer Around the Globe is no exception to his celebration of a diverse community. In the four panels of the mural, professional soccer heroes and young people from four continents are depicted passing the soccer ball, symbolizing the neighborhood’s rich diversity and love for the internationally popular sport.

The mural took about a month for Faus and artist partner Robin Case to complete. 

Historic Northeast is home to at least three works by Faus. The Soccer around the Globe mural at 3831 Independence Ave, the 2017 commissioned mural at Woodland Elementary School and the murals on the north facing wall at the 9th and Van Brunt soccer facility. 

Editor’s Note: Thanks to LISC Executive Director Geoff Jolly and local professional shutterbug David Remley for their assistance with this piece.