Artists and municipal authorities agreed on the shortcomings and needs of the CCA; they hope to allocate resources during this administration
Ajijic Cultural Center, located in the delegation’s Main Plaza.
Sofía Medeles (Ajijic).- A lack of maintenance for several years has caused a visible deterioration in the Ajijic Cultural Center (CCA), according to artists Jesús López Vega and Juan Navarro, who have murals in the building.
López Vega, the artist who did «The Birth of Teo-Michin-Cihualli» on the ceiling of the stairs of the Cultural Center, said that, in the 17 years of the mural, it has not been cleaned or retouched, despite being considered a state heritage.
«It was thanks to the Support Program for Municipal and Community Cultures (PACMYC) that the mural could be made. The state program gives it greater recognition, but since its completion in 2006, there has been no initiative to touch it up. The dampness of the ceiling is already beginning to be a problem for the paint. There is an urgent need to put sealant on the ceiling,» he said.
The artist commented that not only is the mural damaged, but the building also has many deficiencies. Among them, an adjustment in the acoustics, to allow the third floor to be used for workshops and to fix the outdoor area on the third floor.
«As a founder, one realizes that several directors have passed without realizing that art needs maintenance, especially in public institutions. It has always been boasted that Ajijic is the cradle of artists, but money is needed to maintain monuments, even more so now that it is a Magic Town, and that the CCA is a site of tourist interest,» he said.
Juan Navarro commented that his two murals, «Evolution,» located in the entrance dome, and «We came from Aztlán,» located in the entrance ramp, do not need major interventions, only a light cleaning and a touch up with varnish.
As a teacher of workshops at the Cultural Center, Navarro affirmed that there are needs, for example, a sink, a roof for the outside of the third floor, a small oven; nevertheless, he said that he understands that these needs are already being considered in the work plan of the people in charge of the facility.
The administrator of the CCA, Héctor Hinojosa, commented that when he received the building the deficiencies in the infrastructure and the long-standing lack of maintenance, was obvious at first sight.
«It was received in poor condition, apparently nothing was done in past administrations. There is no waterproofing, and gutters were not cleaned, which caused water to leak into the Jesús López Vega mural.»
He added that the municipal president of Chapala, Alejandro de Jesús Aguirre Curiel, is already aware of the needs, and that he is confident that he will support improving the cultural spaces, as they are one of Ajijic’s tourist attractions.
«There is already a work plan that will be done little by little. Although the activities have been stopped due to the pandemic situation, we have been able to gather resources from workshops, exhibitions, among other events, with which we will begin to work,» said Hinojosa.
The Director of Social Communication, Elizabeth Oropeza Silva, added that there is no budget exclusively for the maintenance of the CCA, however, there is one for cultural events of the municipality, which will be used for various projects in different cultural areas.
Translated by Kerry Watson
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