Belizean Artist Plans Downtown Mural Honoring Jerry Lopez

Belizean artist Alex Sanker is gearing up for a special tribute in downtown Belize City, a mural to honor the late Jerry Lopez. His idea is a vibrant image of Jerry sitting behind his fruit stand, complete with a street sign reading ‘King Jerry Street,’ a nod to King Street and Jerry’s legacy. Sanker plans to place the mural on a building wall directly across from where Jerry sold his fruits. He’s already spoken with the building’s owner, who’s fully on board and suggested they meet after the holidays to iron out the details. Once everything is set, Sanker says he’ll reach out to the public for support to bring this heartfelt project to life. We caught up with him today to learn more.

 

Alex Sanker, Belizean Artist

“The only person could truly confirm what I am speaking  about is his family. Me and Jerry go way back, thirty-three years. We are the old Palace crew before I moved to states for twenty years and come back. But, Jerry I think the whole idea was automatic. Jerry is a legend. I am going to make sure I keep his memory alive. I am into where good people you have to recognize and give good people that recognition and let their legacy live on, because we could identify with a lot of bad stuff that happen in this country and city, but Jerry was about positivity, therapist, psychology, comedian, a brother. Me doing this mural I am reaching out to the owner today actual and with the grace of God I have no doubt they will say yes. If you notice on the mural it says King, Jerry Street. I know people suggest they should change it to Jerry Street. I don’t see why that should be a problem, but I will make sure its on my canvas, because a wall is my canvas when I paint. The most important thing is to get the wall approved and say yes Mr. Sanker go ahead. The reality is you might see fifty paintings on Albert Street. Those are persevered for future generations. So I will reach out to the public where they can donate. They don’t have to give me cash. I will have the list and will get the paint from Benny’s and we could raise money to fulfil the colors, primer, not a dollar over. I will dot he labor for free but at the end of the day if I could afford it I would have bought the paint, everything from my pocket. That is coming from a real place.”