Local and international artists are trying to lower crime in Ecatepec, a violent suburb of Mexico City, by teaming up with the government to create larger-than-life, elaborate street art.
Densely packed houses turned its hills into drab, concrete-covered lumps over the decades. About five years ago, the government started painting the exteriors of some of these houses with bright greens, pinks, and blues in an effort to make residents feel more connected to their surroundings and become less aggressive, according to the city’s authorities. So far, about 120,000 houses have been painted.