The Optimus Prime of architecture: Bolivia’s crazily coloured buildings, and their miniatures – in p

The Optimus Prime of architecture: Bolivia’s crazily coloured buildings, and their miniatures – in pictures

Nick Ballon photographs the exuberant and painstakingly ornamented buildings of El Alto, the world’s highest major metropolis. In this series, some are twinned with miniature versions of the same buildings – a spiritual tradition of the region

Amaru Villanueva Rance
Wednesday 3 June 2015 07.02 EDT


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‘Sentinel Prime’

The miniature versions of this and other El Alto buildings were photographed by Jonathan Minster. The project was inspired by the
Alasitas festival – the largest miniature trade fair in the world – held every January in the Bolivian highlands. Thousands of spiritual
devotees come to trade their miniature bikes, tables, laptops and cars, then get them blessed by a kallawalla or yatiri (Andean
medicinal healers or mystic).

Three of these diptych prints are now on sale – more details here
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More:
http://www.theguardian.com/cities/gallery/2015/jun/03/new-andean-architecture-el-alto-bolivia-in-pictures-nick-ballon