September 16, 2022, 4:30 AM
September 16, 2022, 4:30 AM
By Roxana Jimenez Leon
Claudia Opimí was 25 years old, the mother of three children, and in order to support her husband financially, she began to crochet doilies. Claudia is one of the artisans who will be present today in the Celebration of the cultures of Santa Cruz, organized by the Artecampo Museum (Original and Popular Art of the Lowlands) and the Artisan Design and Cooperative Marketing Research Center (CIDAC).
The activity, which will start at 17:00, It will be a showcase to show the result of more than four decades researchrescue and craft development driven by admirable characters, such as Ada Sotomayor de Vaca, who was the founder of Cidac and a tireless promoter of Artecampo. You will be able to appreciate the contemporary pieces of the Guarani, Ayoreo, Guarayo, Chiquitano ethnic groups and intercultural communities of eastern Bolivia. }
Visitors will be able to talk with the representatives of the 14 Artecampo associations, who will carry out demonstrations and talk about their work. The appointment will take place in the third external ring between Roca and Coronado and Radial 19 avenues, next to Los Mangales III Park.
Auctions and guided tours
There will also be an auction of works of art donated by Bolivian artists, inspired by the work of Artecampo, in order to raise funds. Silvestre brush, María José Vera, Jhose Suárez and Alejandra Salvatierra are the signatures that appear in the pieces that will be part of the bidding.
Also, there will be guided tours of the museum and its gardens. “Our goal is for attendees to become ambassadors and allies of CIDAC and Artecampo”, they pointed out from the organization, that contributed to the knowledge, recovery and revaluation of cultural identity.
The research center and the museum have been working together for more than 40 years in the promotion and preservation of the popular art and crafts of Santa Cruz. Both proposed a comprehensive development strategy aimed at improving the lives of indigenous and peasant artisans and their communities, which would have an impact on the construction of the identity of the people of Santa Cruz and a national impact. “CIDAC needs support to continue researching, supporting craft improvement, creating new servicesgiving life to the enormous potential of the Artecampo Museum”, reported Margarita Romero, in charge of marketing the space and organizing the event.
On this occasion, the new board of directors will be sworn in, which, in this administration, will be chaired by María Jesús Velarde, the vice president Felicinda Gongora, the treasurer Claudia Opimi, the recording secretary Modesto Pantoja and the members Erwin Paticú, Gertrudis Cuñanchiro and Isabel Urazayegua. . “Our goal is that all associations have their own raw material and that they be economically sustainable for more peace of mind and to continue growing”, says the president.
She added that she is training young artisans to continue growing. “We have to continue working for each of the associations for the good of our artisans, who are found in every corner of the different provinces and keep going with the good quality of our products to continue conquering more markets”, he concluded.
Velarde announced that different activities are coming, such as fairs and exhibitions to strengthen and continue with the work carried out in Artecampo and Cidac. Hundreds of families from the most neglected areas of Santa Cruz benefited from this project.
Every weekend a different association will make a sample of their work.
Several young artisans are trained at Cidac to continue with the preservation of popular art and crafts.
