Lake Atitln, Guatemala: how a village became an artwork

An ambitious painting project designed to boost tourism and community spirit launches in lakeside Santa Catarina Palopó


Guatemala’s Lake Atitlán is famed for its striking scenery: cobalt-blue waters fringed with dramatic volcanic cones and scattered Mayan villages. And now the site is about to add a rather different attraction to its shores. The lakeside community of Santa Catarina Palopó is embarking on an ambitious project to turn itself into a monumental piece of artwork, with a view to generating an alternative source of tourism income for locals.

It’s the brainchild of Harris Whitbeck, a Guatemalan journalist and believer in art as an agent of social change, whose family has links to the lake going back three generations. When he saw how renowned Dutch artists Jeroen Koolhaas and Dre Urhahn had transformed the Rio de Janeiro favela of Vila Cruzeiro with vibrant colour, the idea of Pintando Santa Catarina Palopó was born.

“Studies show that if the physical environment of a community is improved, there’s a positive impact on inhabitants. There’s an increased sense of belonging, crime levels fall and new businesses open up,” Whitbeck said.

The community, from the mayor down, was on board from the start and the project has created a greater connection between the villagers – many of whom only speak their native language, Kaqchikel – and the Spanish-speaking “weekenders” from Guatemala City. Lidia Cumes, a community leader, said: “Living in darkness can be difficult. To be surrounded by new ideas and by colour is much better. Everything can be achieved when there is will and participation, and I’m convinced that the project will create more opportunities for our village.”


More:
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jun/08/guatemala-art-project-social-enterprise-lake-atitlan-santa-catarina-palopo

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Painting Santa Catarina Palopó: a work of art in Lake Atitlán
For The Country of the Young - Sep 8, 2016





Article written in Spanish at:

https://www.elpaisdelosjovenes.com/centro-de-entretenimiento/pintando-santa-catarina-palopo-una-obra-de-arte-en-el-lago-de-atitlan/

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