The northern Colombian city of Barranquilla in October will be transformed into an artistic playground, as the city’s public spaces are appropriated by young artists and academics.
The ‘Biennial Art in Public Spaces Event’ (BIA) is to be organised by the University of Barranquilla as part of the 25th Festival of Culture, which will take place from October 24 to the October 27, and will revolve around the theme “Meeting Point.”
According to the University, the aim of the event is to use art as a platform for “the creation of the experience of meeting in the city and enabling people to reflect on the conflicts and the conditions of the public spaces in Baranquilla.”
The event hopes to recuperate and transform the long-forgotten and mistreated public spaces within the city.
There will be 6 different thematic threads at the event: the importance of public art in the consturction of sustainable cities; strengthening identity through showing the city’s cultural heritage in public spaces; artistic trends in public spaces; public policies for the consolidation of art in public spaces; the formation and participation of citizens through art in public spaces; and the city as a work of art or open-air museum.
The organizer of the event, Zandra Vasquez, said that the BIA will be a “platform from which to learn with the community, to promote the spread of art throughout the city by using contemporary and interactive artistic works, as well as emphasizing the artistic talent that Baranquilla has to offer.”
The activities offered at the event fall into five categories: public painting; art workshops; special projects; meeting points; a forum for thinking about art in public spaces.
Those interested in taking part can sign up at cccayena@uninorte.edu.co and artepublico@uninorte.edu.co. The deadline is September 20th.
On Wednesday the international jazz festival, Barranquijazz, began in the city. It will run until Saturday September 7th.
MORE: Northern Colombia gets ready for Jazz Festival
Sources
- El arte transformará los espacios públicos de Barranquilla (Semana)
- Statement from University of Baranquilla about the BIA (University of Baranquilla)