The journey from the city to the site in the centre of the Paraiso barrio was a long journey into the Ciudad Bolivar area, culminating in a local bus which slowly wound it’s way up the mountain to the top where Paraiso perched precariously overlooking the panorama of Bogota sprawling beneath it.
Drawing out stories of the displaced indigenous peoples.
What followed were three hard weeks of solid mosaic making, direct onto the wall. Making the mosaic proved quite a local attraction and we soon had a regular group of young helpers in addition to some local community members and the full force of Ink Crew’s extended network of artists and community activists.
Many hands
The long slow labour intensive trudge of cutting tesserae and placing mosaic is something I have both become used to, and even love, for the graffiti artists however I think it was a bit of a shock, being used to creating their murals sometimes quite literally overnight. But despite the initial shock they all worked solidly, determined to complete this immense task.
The central section of Las Maos de Todos featuring designs by Gary Drostle and Dex
Ink Crews extended links to the community proved invaluable as help came to complete this immense mosaic. And of course we were never short of local children who were always keen to join in.
Local kids help out on the mosaic
Celebrating communities
The finished mosaic celebrates the communities of Paraiso. For me this is art at the frontline of community engagement, showing that we can all come together to improve our environment and that life for all people of the world should include both ‘Bread and Roses’.
For me the project transformed my views of just how much can be achieved. Ink Crew revitalised my vision of the vital life of working out on the streets and the crucial importance of engaging with local communities. I hope I can bring that energy back to London and I hope that one day I will meet my good friends in Bogota again…
Ink Crew made a lovely video of the project which you can see here – Las Manos de Todos – Finding paradise in the barrios of BogotaA fond farewell at Bogota airport
You can read about Gary’s first project in Colombia during the Bienniel Street and Mural Arts Festival in Cali hereSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave
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