A New Look for Cerro, Havana

Yanelys Nuñez Leyva

HAVANA TIMES — A project is currently underway on one of the blocks of Havana’s Cerro district. A group of artists are covering the facades of buildings located on Romay Street, between Monte and Zequeira streets, with their graffiti, paintings and sculptures.

In reply to an invitation made by the local artist Luis Manuel Otero Alcantara, a group of young friends joined the initiative of giving the community’s battered residences a new, fresh look.

The residents support the idea of redecorating the street and suggest images in keeping with their tastes, experiences and customs.

Accordingly, one comes across icons of the social imaginary such as the Caridad del Cobre virgin, the Yoruba deity Chango, and others, on the newly-painted walls.

Yulier, Hugo, Danilo, Yairan and Keiton are some of the artists who are taking part in the project, using their own materials, as the initiative has not yet received any institutional support.

The project is based entirely on contributions from friends and enthusiastic relatives.

Initiatives of this nature lead to new dynamics within the community.

Passersby marvel at the work in progress, while most of the locals go out of their way to help wherever they can. This is how scaffolding, opportune snacks and even some materials have been made available to the artists.

We are grateful for these efforts and, even though there are no plans of taking the project to other areas in the district, the fact such an undertaking was possible without government support is already an achievement.