Inner Jungle
Assisted by Elizabeth Truskin
2025 Street Wise Mural Festival
Location: Parking lot of Museum of Boulder, 2205 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80302
Photos by Jeff Goldberg and Yukai Tomsovic
It’s Mancho’s joyous, colorful mural explodes across the wall at the Museum of Boulder. Inner Jungle tells the story of feminine transformation and healing.
A pink leopard watches over the array of women in fields of vibrant flowers. These women wear subtle smiles on their faces, their eyes close in relaxed expressions of joy. Various animals accompany the women, including birds, deer, cats, and dogs. At first glance, the women seem to simply exist in the scene, but upon further reflection, they take subtle actions, picking oranges, riding a bicycle, adjusting their sunglasses, breathing deeply the scents of the surrounding flowers. It’s Mancho creates vibrancy through her use of bold colors and patterns, filling the lengthy wall with a scene that expresses the joy found in everyday moments.
For the artist, the mural represents an emotional journey of transformation, moving from hardship toward healing and rebirth through feminine strength. It begins with the symbolic figure of a leopard, embodying the inner power women draw upon even in their most difficult moments, when it feels like nothing is left.
As the viewer moves through the mural, different scenes unfold within nature, reflecting inner processes: a woman connecting with her surroundings, breathing and healing; the song of a bird as a symbol of calm and peace; and another figure accompanied by a deer, an animal that represents sensitivity, intuition, and quiet elegance, qualities that emerge after navigating challenging experiences.
The journey continues with symbols of strength and renewal, such as the tattoos “strong” and “revive,” and flowers and fruits that evoke growth and abundance. The inclusion of elements like orange trees subtly references the natural landscape of Boulder, Colorado, integrating the mural with its environment.
Finally, the piece celebrates regained joy: women enjoying life, in motion, surrounded by nature and their pets, which represent unconditional love and the silent companionship that supports us through difficult times.
The joy in this mural is shown as an act of resistance: through reconnecting with nature, self-care, and the unconditional love of pets, the figures emerge stronger after challenges. Their enjoyment of life and small moments of happiness symbolizes how joy can sustain and empower us in the face of adversity.
“My experience interacting with the public while painting was incredible,” says It’s Mancho. “It is, without a doubt, one of the aspects I enjoy most when participating in a festival. People approach me, ask what the mural means, how the ideas came about, and even show curiosity about where I’m from and my cultural roots. By sharing my process and engaging with the audience, they can better understand why I use certain colors and how everything is connected to my story and heritage. Truly, this is what I love most about painting live.”
Thank you to It’s Mancho for traveling all the way from her home in Spain to give us this gift of a mural! And shoutout to Elizabeth Truskin for assisting her with installation.
About the Artist:
It’s Mancho is a Colombian urban artist born in Bogotá. Trained in graphic design, in 2016 she moved to Madrid, Spain, where she discovered her true passion for illustration and public art. At first, she feared not being able to find her own style, but she soon realized that artistic identity is a living, constantly evolving process. By exploring various techniques and mediums, she began developing a visual language that combines color, graphic strength, and narratives rich in symbolism.
Her work draws from her emotions, personal experiences, and themes that deeply resonate with her: migration, feminist struggles, Afro-descendant culture, environmental protection, and, most especially, her love for cats.
Since 2017, Mancho has been fully dedicated to urban art, adopting spray paint as her primary tool. Her creative process begins in the digital realm, where she develops sketches and compositions that she later brings to life on a large scale—on walls, facades, or storefronts. For her, the most powerful moment is when the artwork comes alive in public space, becoming a point of connection and engagement with the community.
She has participated in numerous urban art festivals and projects, leaving her mark in various cities around the world. Whenever she travels, she seeks to intervene in the environment—whether with a large-scale mural, a stencil, or small street stickers—as a form of visual dialogue with the place.
In addition to her street work, Mancho also produces pieces in a variety of formats: canvases, screen prints on paper and fabric, digital illustrations, customized clothing, and other creations that expand her artistic language beyond the walls.