Muraleando: A Community Project in Havana, Cuba (Traducido al español)
Written by Sophia Bass, translated below by Izzy Valdés
The first time I traveled to Havana, I immediately noticed a variety of artistic expression throughout the city. From local art markets and galleries to murals, I wanted to learn the story behind Cuba's innovative art scene. I quickly learned of the Muraleando Art Project founded by Manuel Diaz Baldrich and Ernesto Quirch Paz in 2003. Founder of Soltura Cuba Travel, Ian Sergeant, assisted in funding the creation of the project through the not-for-profit organization, Cuba AyUUda. Situated on the outskirts of Havana, the project has transformed an area of rubble and destruction into a thriving art collective.
The goal of Muraleando is to bring children off the streets of Havana and inspire them to contribute to a community project. In a country where nothing is disposable and everything is useful from telephone wires, iron, to old typewriters, artists in Cuba sought an opportunity to utilize these materials and create something beautiful. Professional artists, musicians, sculptors, dancers, and painters all contribute to Muraleando transforming the public space into a tight-knit artist community.
Baldrich has expressed that Muraleando developed as a response to economic hardships impacting Cuba after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the tightening of the U.S. embargo in the 1990s. Due to the lack of resources and access to the global world, the hardships of these years influenced Cuban's to be resourceful by creating art out of materials available in the community. This philosophy influenced artists in the community to start grassroots projects like Muraleando.
When you walk around Muraleando, you will see garden sculptures, paintings, mosaics, and trash that has been transformed into art. It is remarkable to see how beautiful murals have literally revamped the neighborhood's appearance. The murals are an expression of Cuban life. Many volunteers contribute to Muraleando in an effort to improve the livelihood of the Cuban people. The community art project has won awards in Cuba for being the most effective community project in the country.
If you're interested in experiencing Muraleando in Cuba, join us on our 10 Day Heart of Cuba Trip.
For more info on trip dates and itineraries, go to our website www.solutratravel.com
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The first time I traveled to Havana, I immediately noticed a variety of artistic expression throughout the city. From local art markets and galleries to murals, I wanted to learn the story behind Cuba's innovative art scene. I quickly learned of the Muraleando Art Project founded by Manuel Diaz Baldrich and Ernesto Quirch Paz in 2003. Founder of Soltura Cuba Travel, Ian Sergeant, assisted in funding the creation of the project through the not-for-profit organization, Cuba AyUUda. Situated on the outskirts of Havana, the project has transformed an area of rubble and destruction into a thriving art collective.
The goal of Muraleando is to bring children off the streets of Havana and inspire them to contribute to a community project. In a country where nothing is disposable and everything is useful from telephone wires, iron, to old typewriters, artists in Cuba sought an opportunity to utilize these materials and create something beautiful. Professional artists, musicians, sculptors, dancers, and painters all contribute to Muraleando transforming the public space into a tight-knit artist community.
Baldrich has expressed that Muraleando developed as a response to economic hardships impacting Cuba after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the tightening of the U.S. embargo in the 1990s. Due to the lack of resources and access to the global world, the hardships of these years influenced Cuban's to be resourceful by creating art out of materials available in the community. This philosophy influenced artists in the community to start grassroots projects like Muraleando.
When you walk around Muraleando, you will see garden sculptures, paintings, mosaics, and trash that has been transformed into art. It is remarkable to see how beautiful murals have literally revamped the neighborhood's appearance. The murals are an expression of Cuban life. Many volunteers contribute to Muraleando in an effort to improve the livelihood of the Cuban people. The community art project has won awards in Cuba for being the most effective community project in the country.
If you're interested in experiencing Muraleando in Cuba, join us on our 10 Day Heart of Cuba Trip.
For more info on trip dates and itineraries, go to our website www.solutratravel.com
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La primera vez que viaje a La Habana, pude notar inmediatamente la variedad de expresiones artísticas que se manifiestan por toda la ciudad. Encontré desde mercados de arte local y galerías hasta murales, y como es lógico quise conocer la historia detrás de la escena innovadora del arte cubano. Rápidamente conocí del Proyecto Artístico Muraleando, fundado por Manuel Díaz Baldrich y Ernesto Quirch Paz en 2003. El fundador de Soltura Cuba Travel, Ian Sergeant, formó parte de la fundación del proyecto a través de la ONG Cuba AyUUda. Situado en las periferias de La Habana, el proyecto ha transformando un área de escombros y destrucción en un próspero colectivo artístico.
El objetivo de Muraleando es sacar a los niños de las calles de La Habana e inspirarlos a contribuir en un proyecto comunitario. En un país donde nada se desecha y todo es útil desde cables de teléfono, planchas, hasta viejas máquinas de escribir, los artistas buscaron una oportunidad para utilizar estos materiales y crear algo hermoso. Artistas, músicos, escultores, bailarines y pintores profesionales, todos ellos, contribuyen a Muraleando, transformando el espacio público en una consolidada comunidad artística.
Baldrich ha expresado que Muraleando fue desarrollado como una respuesta a las dificultades económicas que impactaron a Cuba luego del colapso de la Unión Soviética y el recrudecimiento del bloqueo de EE.UU en los años noventa. Debido a la falta de recursos y de acceso al mercado internacional, las vicisitudes de estos años, influenciaron la racionalidad en los cubanos al crear arte de materiales disponibles en la comunidad. Esta filosofía influenció a todos los artistas de la comunidad para iniciar proyectos desde la base, tales como Muraleando.
Cuando se camina alrededor de Muraleando, se puede observar esculturas en jardines, pinturas, mosaicos y basura que ha sido transformada en arte. Es admirable ver cómo hermosos murales han modernizado, literalmente, la apariencia de los vecindarios. Los murales son una expresión de la vida cubana. Muchos voluntarios contribuyen a Muraleando en un esfuerzo por mejorar la calidad de vida de los cubanos. Este genial proyecto ha ganado muchos premios en Cuba por ser el proyecto comunitario más efectivo del país.
Si está interesado en conocer Muraleando en Cuba, unase a nosotros en un Viaje de 10 días por el Corazón de Cuba.
Para más información en fechas e itinerarios visítenos en nuestro sitio web www.solturatravel.com.
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