Durham muralist hopes to encourage the next generation

Cornelio Campos is a Latino muralist in Durham and one of North Carolina’s best-known Latino artists.

He was born in a small town in Mexico called Cheran, Michoacán, where he first discovered his love for art. He came to the United States at the age of 18 to follow his dream of being an artist.

“We’re always talking about the American dream, and I feel like Durham gave me that opportunity,” Campos said.

But it wasn’t always easy. When he first arrived in the U.S., he worked at a tobacco farm.

“Physically, it was really hard, but it also helped me to motivate myself to grow as an artist,” Campos said.

Campos has created 10 pieces in Durham. He often uses the monarch butterfly, which travels from Canada and the United States to Mexico for the winter, as a symbol in his work.

“As an immigrant, it means no borders, and I mean the freedom to travel between countries and just the representation of freedom,” Campos said.

Recently he’s noticed his work getting more attention.

“A lot of young people are inspired by what I’m doing, so it’s a big responsibility to represent your community, your country and also the younger generations that are following you,” Campos said.

He says the coronavirus pandemic has opened the eyes of many to see the beauty in people and art from all walks of life.

“They go for a walk and find the mural on accident and maybe they have a bad day and maybe they see the piece and they feel joy seeing it,” Campos said.

His work is well known in Durham, and he even has a piece in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian, which holds a special place in his heart.

“They collect the ticket that they gave me when I took the bus from my town to the border and the boots that I used when I worked at the farm picking up tobacco,” Campos said.

He hopes the stories he shares through his art resonate with people of all backgrounds with one simple message: “As humans, we deserve respect and to be unified as human beings,” Campos said.

Cornelio Campos es un artista Mexicano que vive en Durham. Campos inmigro a los Estados Unidos a los 18 años a segir sus sueños de ser un artista. Dedica su tiempo pintando murales en Durham. Campos espera que su arte inspire a la generacion que sigue a seguir sus sueños y a abrir la puerta a la conversacion de diversidad.