A Vast Art Project Is Transforming This Guatemalan Lakeside Town

[Judi Lynn]

On the shores of stunning Lake Atitlán, a mission to paint 960 buildings in eye-catching designs is enriching locals and visitors alike

TEXT BY
KATHRYN ROMEYN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
KATHRYN ROMEYN
Posted November 15, 2017

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One Guatemalan town is proving that a few coats of paint have the power to actually change lives, that color and art can visibly improve quality of life. On picture-perfect Lake Atitlan—which rivals Lake Como in natural beauty—Santa Catarina Palopó is undergoing an inspiring transformation that has already sparked development, job opportunities, pride, and empowerment in its 5,000 locals, plus increased cultural tourism awareness. The mission: painting all 960 buildings clinging to its hillside in vibrant hues and symbols that recall the traditional handwoven huipil blouses worn by its women, handed down through generations. (By December, 36 paintings are expected to be completed.) The project is called Pintando Santa Catarina Palopó, and it’s the brainchild of Guatemala City native Harris Whitbeck, a CNN correspondent who’s been visiting the bucolic haven—one of almost a dozen around the lake, each with its own distinct identity—since he was a child.

Several years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Whitbeck became aware of the Favela Painting Foundation, a project by two Dutch artists, Haas and Hahn, that turned the slums into a Technicolor art installation. Later, when filming a story at Lake Atitlán, a cameraman planted the seed “that we could do something similar in Santa Catarina as a way of sparking sustainable job and development opportunities in an area that is in dire need of alternatives to farming.” A hike with his nieces Melissa and Nicole Whitbeck further solidified the vision; Melissa came on board to help coordinate the effort, which included an initial inspiring workshop with the Dutch artists before building a team of native-only Guatemalans to bring it to life.

One Guatemalan town is proving that a few coats of paint have the power to actually change lives, that color and art can visibly improve quality of life. On picture-perfect Lake Atitlan—which rivals Lake Como in natural beauty—Santa Catarina Palopó is undergoing an inspiring transformation that has already sparked development, job opportunities, pride, and empowerment in its 5,000 locals, plus increased cultural tourism awareness. The mission: painting all 960 buildings clinging to its hillside in vibrant hues and symbols that recall the traditional handwoven huipil blouses worn by its women, handed down through generations. (By December, 36 paintings are expected to be completed.)

The project is called Pintando Santa Catarina Palopó, and it’s the brainchild of Guatemala City native Harris Whitbeck, a CNN correspondent who’s been visiting the bucolic haven—one of almost a dozen around the lake, each with its own distinct identity—since he was a child.
Several years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Whitbeck became aware of the Favela Painting Foundation, a project by two Dutch artists, Haas and Hahn, that turned the slums into a Technicolor art installation. Later, when filming a story at Lake Atitlán, a cameraman planted the seed “that we could do something similar in Santa Catarina as a way of sparking sustainable job and development opportunities in an area that is in dire need of alternatives to farming.” A hike with his nieces Melissa and Nicole Whitbeck further solidified the vision; Melissa came on board to help coordinate the effort, which included an initial inspiring workshop with the Dutch artists before building a team of native-only Guatemalans to bring it to life.

More:
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/santa-catarina-palopo-guatemala-painting-project