Raúl Villanueva’s Together mural stretches across the exterior wall of the East Lake Street Target, presenting a symmetrical composition filled with color, rhythm, and balance. The mural features groups of people of color kneeling or standing on either side of a central image of six interconnected hands reaching toward a yellow butterfly. Each figure holds their hands open, as if giving or receiving, surrounding blossoms that appear to grow through and connect them. The entire composition flows horizontally, framed by a soft blue background that brightens the figures and reinforces the mural’s message of openness and unity.
Color is central to the design: rich yellows, pinks, reds, and greens contrast with the cool blue background, symbolizing warmth, life, and renewal. The repeated pattern of three butterflies in each section unites the mural, creating a rhythm that mirrors the theme of connection. The flowers’ stems intertwine through the hands and figures, visually representing growth as a shared process—each person contributing to something larger than themselves.
Villanueva’s use of symmetry and repetition brings a sense of balance and calm to the work, while subtle variations in gesture and tone prevent it from feeling static. The smooth shapes, rounded forms, and harmonious colors echo the community’s desire for healing after hardship. Viewed as a whole, the mural creates a gentle but powerful visual reminder of togetherness, compassion, and continuity.
