ANA MARIA VELASCO
ECO-MURALS in KUTUNSAMA
In collaboration with La Sierra Artist Residency http://www.lasierraartistresidency.org/ , and the children from the community of Kutunsama, we co-created murals inspired by the designs on the Mochilas made by indigenous women from La Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Mochilas are handwoven bags that have symbolic and spiritual value, and they represent fertility, the placenta and the uterus, both of each woman and of the Mother creator of the universe. For this reason, the Mochila unfolds in a spiral like the shape of a snail, representing how the universe developed from the spindle of the creative Mother
Each woven stitch represents the connection with nature, the ancestors and everything that has life, transcending the material and enriching the spiritual worlds. The bags are decorated with representations of rivers, mountains, human thoughts, gods and animals.
The patterns painted on the walls of the school reflect their beliefs and customs. Encoded in these patterns is the worldview that when we walk in harmony with all of nature, our path is opened and so is the path for all of humanity.
With transformative messages, these murals serve their communities as constant reminders of the ancients traditions, and overall value in the world. At the same time, the murals are inspiring a shift towards an environmentally conscious culture. Generating awareness of our precious, natural surroundings, and encourages locals to care and protect them.