Artistic initiative that seeks to revive tourism as an alternative in the municipalities of Icalupe and Somoto   Tourism is one of the most dynamic sectors in Nicaragua, accounting for 9% of GDP and 8% of total employment in the country. The Department of Madriz has enormous potential because of its […]

Urban Art

Artistic initiative that seeks to revive tourism as an alternative in the municipalities of Icalupe and Somoto

 

Tourism is one of the most dynamic sectors in Nicaragua, accounting for 9% of GDP and 8% of total employment in the country. The Department of Madriz has enormous potential because of its geological and environmental resources, but these have not yet had sufficient impact on job opportunities for the population.

 

Three interventions for three identities

 

The intervention in the community Icalupe, where there was already a tradition of mural painting, consisted of workshop egg tempera, a simple and sustainable technique to fix the pigments permanently. “We saw that in Icalupe had not felt a our work, we saw it as a UFO, alien that distort the life of a community,” says Pablo Garcia Mena, one of the members of Boa Mistura.

 

In Somoto, capital of the department, Boa Mistura has taken the pavement as a canvas to make a large mural, with the water problem. “It made sense because water is livelihoods of local and main landmark of the department, with the Rio Coco farming communities,” says Paul.

Under the same project, but in the municipality of Las Sabanas, a collective of 5 Nicaraguan artists he has made murals have six houses completely covered the town center. This could not have taken as reference the legends and most significant agricultural products of the area, which have managed to completely transform the urban landscape of this small town.

 

Art as a tool for change

 

“We try to involve the communities to strengthen local identity and turn public spaces into a meeting,” notes Paul. The use of art and color nearby River Canyon Coco, contribute not only to value the cultural and environmental heritage of the enclave, but to expand job opportunities for the people of Madriz, in order to be more resilient against climate change.

 

This project has been made possible by funding from the Swiss Cooperation (SDC) and the support of the Accenture Foundation and its employees as part of the call for rounding Payroll, and this will affect 250 families.

 

CAMINOS DE AGUA from boamistura on Vimeo.