“Raising awareness of the natural heritage through urban art” was part of the call ‘Bank of projects for the UIS culture policy’ whose objective is to promote the conservation of the flora and fauna of Malaga, Santander, through mural painting.
In total there were six murals that were illustrated in different parts of the municipality. Each painting reflects species of the region, such as the frailejones, the Andean condor, the cold earth oak or white oak, the miniature orchid Lepanthes garcirovirensis and the ceiba barrigona.
The students and professors who participated in the project were:
- Diego Suescún Carvajal: Professor Occasional Plant of the forestry engineering program of the UIS, Sede Málaga (project leader professor).
- Hender Moreno: Professor at the UIS, Malaga campus (professional muralist).
- Julián Quintero: Auxiliary student (painter).
- Steven Leonardo Celis: Auxiliary student (painter).
- Silvia Juliana Jaimes: Auxiliary student (audiovisual logistics).
- Hesson Leguízamo: Auxiliary student (compilation of information and written text).
For the forestry engineering program professor and project leader, Diego Suescún, these types of calls are important because they help create environmental awareness through art and culture, bringing the message to children, youth and adults.
“This project is an opportunity to educate through urban art, using high impact murals to highlight the importance of flora and fauna in Malaga, Santander. The murals not only beautify the environment, but also tell stories and teach the human population about the natural wealth that surrounds them. By seeing these works of art in the streets, the community will connect with their environment in a visual and emotional way, better understanding the need to protect and value our natural heritage. It is a project that seeks to inspire environmental awareness in a creative and accessible way for all communities”.
For his part, the student, Julian Camilo Quintero expressed his motivation to participate in this type of initiative. “Art is manifested by the soul, being a language that goes beyond color and form, it is a dialogue of memory in the territory. Each action has been a journey of knowledge, because painting is not only to illustrate, but also to understand, value and share what surrounds us. While science provides us with data, structures and applications, I complement it with sensory experience that educates and fulfills a purpose, respect for our nature and culture”.
Each mural depicts a special theme related to the flora and fauna in the region.
Mural “Majestic mountain heights”
In this surrealist style work, it depicts a Chitarero indigenous woman with a frailejón head, making an offering to the sun Inti, the maximum deity of the Inca culture, which was also venerated by the Chitarero indigenous people. These people, known for their great adventurers and explorers, reached the Inca Empire in extensive expeditions, assimilating part of their culture. The offering consists of a clay vase filled with chicha, an ancestral drink and an important symbol for the inhabitants of the province of Garcia Rovira, and which currently endures as a local tradition.
Mural “The Encounter”
This work, in surrealist style with touches of illustration, has as its central axis the new orchid discovered in Garcia Rovira, Lepanthes garciarovirensis, represented with human body in meditation position. The figure symbolizes the long time in which this flower remained hidden, in a deep trance with nature, and now connects with other natural beings that inhabit its environment. Around her, the trogon (Trogon personatus) stands out, both the female and the male, showing their striking colors that contrast with the green tones of the oak forest. The yellow and brown colors complement the greens of the landscape, highlighting the visual harmony of the scene. In addition, an oak trunk with the word “Forest” alludes to the Forestry Engineering career offered at the Malaga campus of the Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS), a profession that students and professors are proud of.
Mural “At the edge of the mountain”
This mural depicts a nocturnal landscape of the majestic Chicamocha Canyon, with its imposing mountains, a ceiba barrigona (Cavanillesia chicamochae) and a goat. The work highlights the valuable ecosystem of the canyon, a natural space that the province of García Rovira has to explore and learn. For this composition, brown and cold tones were used, in contrast to the traditional warm colors of the canyon, seeking a different artistic perspective without losing its distinctive essence.
Mural “On the road to milk”
In this mural, we have depicted a heifer of the Norman cow (Bos taurus), a species highly appreciated in the region for its high milk production. The calf is inside a milk canteen, located on a cobblestone road typical of the province of García Rovira. These roads, built by the Chitaro Indians, are considered today as natural patrimony.
Mural “Permanent Wealth”
In this mural we wanted to capture the natural wealth in a traditional style combined with urban art influences in the style of Street Art. The work is a tribute to the local biodiversity, representing various species of fauna and flora: the Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus), the woodpecker (Campephilus pollens) the emerald toucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus), and flora species such as the buttercup (Tithonia diversifolia), and an orchid endemic to the paramos and high Andean zones of the northern part of the Eastern Cordillera (Masdevallia coccinea), the seed of the oak (acorn), and the leaves of the frailejón (Espeletia sp).
Mural “Our new orchid”
This mural highlights the parts and sizes of the recently discovered orchid (Lepanthes garciarovirensis), a find that has fascinated the inhabitants of the province and the students and professors of UIS Malaga.
This species discovered in the province of García Rovira by professionals graduated from the UIS, has an enormous scientific value and represents a source of pride and joy for the community. With a realistic style and an educational approach, this mural was painted in the streets of Málaga to highlight the research importance of this unique orchid. “Our new orchid” celebrates this finding and its contribution to the knowledge of the local flora, inviting everyone to know and value this natural wonder.
It is worth mentioning that the project was executed during one week and has generated a positive impact on local people and visitors to the municipality.
