Título en español.

Abstract

The amazing polysemies of the topics covered by the muralistic expression in the urban area of Santurce, Puerto Rico, are significant temporal manifestations of a free civic effort that help to empower the abandon urban spaces. The spaces that urban murals recover from the inner city show a beautiful and complex artistic work for those wishing to appreciate the symbolic and complex world that they present. Among the multiple issues identified and analyzed in the murals, are those concerning with awareness and violence prevention, a serious topic with serious social implications for the community. Objectives: to identify and analyze the pictorial elements that present 6 urban murals in the selected area, especially those who serve for the prevention of urban violence and crime. Method: A qualitative design, using Lincoln and Cuba method (1985) was used to identify urban murals in Santurce, during July-September, 2013. Six murals were recognized with violence prevention elements. Results: taking into consideration the pictorial analysis done by the experts all six murals include elements that try to present messages that reprove and criticize urban violence. Conclusion: urban murals serve as an educational device to promote preventive expressions on issues such as crime, aggression and urban violence.