Bringing back colors to Paseo del Arte in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

Together with local artists, our paint brand, Inca Pinturas, supported the transformation of Paseo del Arte (Art Path) in Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay. Through our Vení al Color (Let’s Colour) initiative, we provided the paint for the restoration of the country’s largest mural and helped revitalize this significant tourist spot.

Revival of the sleepy colonial town

Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, across the Rio de La Plata from the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. As one of the oldest towns in the country, with its winding cobbled alleys and well-preserved post-colonial architecture, Colonia del Sacramento is a photographer’s dream and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Its charm and proximity to Buenos Aires draw thousands of Argentinian visitors on weekends, especially in the summer.

Colonia is also home to the largest mural in the country, located outside the Alberto Suppici stadium, named after the coach of the national soccer team for the 1930 World Cup. The mural, created in 2015, also with the support of the Inca brand, spans 180 meters in length and integrates an area of 440 square meters, forming a colorful mural art site on the Rambla Cristóbal Colón and Coronel Arroyo. As the artworks of Paseo del Arte began to fade over time, the Municipality of Colonia del Sacramento decided to give them a makeover and bring this part of the city to its former glory.

Fresh look for Paseo del Arte

This Let’s Colour project was staged with the aim of restoring the public space through artistic expression. Fifteen local artists captured their works of art on the walls of the stadium – Daniel Fernández, Claudia Machado, Jorge Carbajal, Laura Acosta, Daniel Barbeito, Adriana Ramos, Diego Bianki, Carlos A Duarte, Lilian Subelzú, Fernando Fraga, Bernardo Caldarelli, Garo Alanis, Potok, Locasso and Osmosis. With the support of local authorities, they brought the mural back to life and revived the beauty of one of the most important attractions of the country.

For the renovation of Paseo del Arte, Inca donated 370 liters of water-based paint from its Incamur, Incalux Balance, and Santica Balance lines, as well as floor paint. After the works were finished and dried, the mural was also given a layer of anti-graffiti protection.

“Valuing this space in the city, with the intervention of fine artists from our department, fills us with pride. The direction and coordination of this project by the architect Alejandro Braslavsky, the contribution of Pinturas Inca, and the realization of the City Hall made it possible to carry out this Art Path for everyone to enjoy”, said the director of Public Relations and Press of the City Hall of Colonia del Sacramento, Jorge Torres Badell.

Celebration of color and art

The opening of the exhibition was celebrated with a massive audience. In addition to admiring the works and interacting with the artists, visitors could enjoy musical shows, games, the La Verbena cultural fair, and taste the gastronomic delights at the food court installed for the occasion.

“It is an honor for us to participate in the restoration of this urban space that reflects the spontaneity and cultural diversity of the region while constituting a magnificent sensory path that connects the art and culture of Colonia. At AkzoNobel, we have proven the transformative power of color in communities through our global Let’s Colour program in cities around the world. Today, we are proud to lead this initiative through our brand of Inca paints in Uruguay and as another way to express our People. Planet. Paint. approach to sustainability”, expressed the general director of Decorative Paintings of AkzoNobel for the Southern Cone, Fernando Domingues.

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