After the registration of the ‘Living Pictures of Galeras’ before Unesco, in order to obtain the endorsement to be recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the international entity has three years to evaluate the case. Meanwhile, this cultural expression has involved several generations in community work aimed at art and social transformation.
Colombia submitted the ‘Living Pictures of Galeras’ to UNESCO to obtain the inscription of this cultural manifestation on the representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This expression recreates secular, religious scenes and traditional paintings from the streets of the municipality of Galeras (Sucre), as well as its rural area. As living pictures of popular ephemeral art, these pieces are made every year, summoning the 23 thousand inhabitants of the municipality and their visitors, within the framework of the Algarroba Folk Festival.
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“This cultural event reveals the creativity, sensitivity, imagination and memory of the Galerans. The ‘Living Pictures of Galeras’ are a powerful tool to strengthen community ties, solidarity and generate feelings of empathy and friendship, as they promote respect for difference, the appreciation of diversity, and encourage teamwork and dialogue intergenerational. Its artistic character enables respectful reflections and criticisms, constituting a sample of coexistence and peace ”, stated Felipe Buitrago, Minister of Culture.
For his part, the mayor of Galeras, José Ignacio Hernández, specified that this municipality “is a land full of tradition, which for years has been committed to investing in culture as a transforming factor in society. For generations, ‘Living Paintings’ have permeated all spheres of our daily life, allowing us to express ourselves critically and artistically ”. The governor of the department, Héctor Olimpo, added that for the application of this cultural manifestation a participation process was carried out with the inhabitants of the municipality, creating creative workshops, as well as training and research workshops.
“This manifestation is a scenic representation where any type of emotion, feeling and experience is interpreted,” said Shirlene Malambo, scenic artist and creator of ‘Cuadros Vivos’. And it is that this cultural manifestation is a community artistic expression that brings together visual, theatrical and festive elements. The creations and replicas are made mainly in streets and other public spaces, such as parks, terraces, trees and gardens, turning the municipality into an open-air art gallery. This practice is used as a pedagogical resource, to promote learning in different areas of knowledge, so the ‘Living Pictures’ are also carried out in school cultural weeks.
Follow the news of El Espectador on Google NewsAfter the inscription of the ‘Living Pictures of Galeras’, Unesco has three years to carry out the evaluation of the case. “If it is obtained, Colombia will have the twelfth manifestation recognized as a cultural heritage of humanity,” said Buitrago.