La Carpa: A Mural for the Collective Memory of Can Serra

La Plaça de la Carpa, in the Can Serra neighborhood, has become a large mural commemorating the community struggles that have shaped its identity. Driven by the Can Serra District of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, produced by Rebobinart, and painted by artist Roc Blackblock, this project stems from the local residents’ desire to highlight the efforts of their elders and to reclaim a symbolic space they have always defended as a meeting point and a hub for community life. This mural is a collective expression that honors the shared history and the neighborhood’s commitment to social transformation.

A Space with History
In the 1970s, the residents of Can Serra organized to stop the construction of apartment blocks on what is now Plaça de la Carpa. In that space, which once hosted a performance tent designed by Emilio Pérez Piñero, assemblies, mobilizations, and festive events took place, becoming the heart of the neighborhood movement. Paco’s drum, an icon of the protest, and popular chants like “El barrio unido, la Carpa ha conseguido” (The united neighborhood has won the Carpa) or “Can Serra es una fiesta, porque la Carpa ya es nuestra” (Can Serra is a party because the Carpa is now ours) have become key elements in this collective narrative.

A Mural to Remember and Inspire
The mural created by Roc Blackblock captures these historical moments and transforms them into a visually symbolic artwork. It features scenes from the protests, portraits of community leaders, and references to the original tent, all drawn from the digital archive of the City Council. The piece was built through meetings with local organizations and firsthand accounts from the neighborhood, including the Can Serra Neighborhood Association, the ALPI Association, and Somnis Catalan Theatre Association.

Memory Painted by Roc Blackblock
Roc Blackblock is an urban artist, illustrator, and graphic designer trained at Elisava and the Serra i Abella Art School. Active since the late 1990s, he has made muralism a tool for collective communication and the recovery of historical memory. In his own words, muralism is “a way of doing politics through art.” Through his work, he peacefully occupies and democratizes public space—just as the residents of Can Serra did in the 1970s, and as they continue to do today through their community involvement and activism.

A Popular Inauguration
On May 24, Plaça de la Carpa hosted a festive inauguration to celebrate the new mural. The day featured family activities, live music, and a participatory action in which local residents helped complete the mural with their own hands. It was a symbolic way to close the circle and reclaim public space through culture, memory, and shared celebration.

Art as a Tool for Transformation
This mural is part of Rebobinart’s ongoing work, which promotes urban art as a tool for social transformation. Through projects like this, public space is reclaimed as a place for gathering, expression, and the construction of collective memory.