Sister Cities Mural Unveiled at Clara B. Mounce Public Library
A new mural celebrating global connections and cultures is complete at Clara B. Mounce Public Library in Historic Downtown Bryan, inviting residents and visitors to engage with Bryan’s international sister city partnerships in a fresh, visual way.
The mural was commissioned by Bryan Art Path and the Bryan-College Station Sister Cities Association, and was funded through the City of Bryan Arts & Culture Development Grant. German artist Enrico Pense designed and painted the mural on the west exterior brick wall of the library, facing the railroad tracks and Carnegie Alley.
Featuring symbolic animals and multilingual typography, the mural represents Bryan-College Station and its four sister cities: Bastogne, Belgium; Greifswald, Germany; Salamanca, Mexico; and Toruń, Poland.
What’s on the Mural?
The mural celebrates peace, international friendship, cultural exchange and shared values, breaking language barriers with a contemporary, narrative visual design. As a public place dedicated to knowledge and lifelong learning, the Mounce Library is an ideal setting for the mural.
Each Sister City is represented by a symbolic animal and a key phrase, chosen to convey regional characteristics and cultural identity.
From left to right on the mural:
Jaguar – Salamanca, Mexico
Jaguars are deeply rooted in Mexican culture and symbolize strength, wisdom and spiritual depth. The mural’s jaguar wears a hat with the letters “GTO,” representing the Guanajuato region. The jaguar carries a book with the title “Voces del Mundo,” or Voices of the World.
“Curiosidad & Conexión” (Spanish for “Curiosity & Connection”)
Deer – Bastogne, Belgium
Deer represent calmness, dignity and a close connection to nature, which is fitting for the Ardennes region surrounding Bastogne. The mural’s deer wears a red, white and blue beanie, serving as both a subtle reference to Belgium’s national identity and Bastogne’s self-identification as Belgium’s most American city.
“S’inspirer Ensemble” (French for “Inspire Each Other”)
Blue Jay – Bryan, Texas
The animal chosen to represent Bryan is the blue jay, symbolizing communication, attentiveness, learning and community. These qualities align with Bryan and the library as host of the mural. The mural’s blue jay wears a maroon hoodie with an “I Heart Tacos” button serving as a nod to the popular Bryan Taco Trail, and a cowboy hat with the letters “A&M.”
“Learn Together” (English)
Owl – Toruń, Poland
Toruń is known as the birthplace of Nicolaus Copernicus and is an important center of education. It’s fitting that an owl was chosen to represent this city, symbolizing wisdom, science and intellectual curiosity. The mural’s owl carries a Copernicus book and wears a button with the letters “UMK,” for the Polish name of Nicolaus Copernicus University.
“Poznawanie Nowych Dróg” (Polish for “Explore New Paths”)
Crane – Greifswald, Germany
Northern Germany’s characteristic bird, the crane, reflects its maritime Baltic Sea environment and symbolizes freedom, mindfulness and perspective. Resting on the shoulder of the mural’s crane is a monarch butterfly, a small detail to reflect global friendships with the Friends of the BCS Library System.
“Gemeinsam Entdecken” (German for “Discover Together”)
For more information about the mural, visit the BCS Sister Cities website.