The Casco Door Project
- A cultural event organized by the Association of Neighbors of Casco Antiguo (AVACA) for the implementation of community welfare programs.
- Avaca was founded 10 years ago and has more than 100 members
- Part of their community projects are: construction and maintenance of parks, recycling programs, beach cleaning.
- The Casco Door Project was held on Wednesday September 18 with almost 40 artists
The Casco Door Project is an idea that emerged from AVACA five years ago when the first version of the event was made. The association began collecting the doors and windows of the old buildings before they were restored by the Conservatorio company, with the aim of inviting different national and resident artists to intervene in the pieces and they would be auctioned to raise funds and execute the projects of common welfare of the neighborhood, which is the main mission of the association. The latest version of the event was held in September 2019 with 39 artists and their pieces in a silent auction open to the public.
All the artists who participated went to a warehouse located on Calle 2 in Casco Viejo to select the piece of their preference. The rules they received were quite simple, you can intervene as you wish as long as the issue is related to Panama. Some artists cut the pieces, others included applications, while others made tables.
The project spread among the artists who were recommending other people. For example, Ricardo Arosemena who worked his piece with his son Pablo, recommended Juan Manuel Cambefort. Other artists from the indigenous peoples who joined were Achu Kantule and Lucio López Kansuet. Not all artists are Panamanian, Ian Begg is from Canada and Harry Sigel from South Africa. What they all have in common is that they live in Panama and have roots there.
Casa Perez Aleman, a pink building on Avenida A between Calle 7 and 8, was the venue for the exhibition. Anyone who wants can see the works of these talented artists between September 12-20. On September 18, an auction was held to raise funds for the Association of Neighbors of Casco Antiguo (AVACA). The artists received 30% of the profits, even though some decided to donate 100%. A silent auction will be using a software that allows people to bid for the works even without being present at the event.
In 2009 AVACA was created as a community association made up of residents and business owners. They have a board of directors that is voluntary and an employee, the director, who is in charge of being the liaison with institutions such as the Municipality and the Office of the Old Town Office (OCA). This association carries out social works and activities for the community.
Inspirations of some artists:
Kansuet (Lucio Lopez Kansuet) – “Night of the Moon”
A small tribute to the albino Gunas who occupy a special place within the Guna culture, are considered defenders of the moon; the only ones that can go out on an eclipse night, as tradition tells that a beast comes to eat the ñeque that is inside the moon and the albinos are the only ones that with their arrows can defend it from the beast.
Vanessa Orelli & Annamaria Zampogna – “Between two oceans, when they were one”
This piece was created in pairs, like the Oceans that Panama kisses. The postigons, which together create a screen, are the symbolic gate of the Panama Canal. This gate not only controls the ebb and flow of maritime traffic, the comings and goings between two Oceans, but it is also the human presence that decided to unite and separate their habitat at the same time.
Markelita Reyes de Bogue – “The Dance of Lola”
My parrot Lola, was the muse for my next work. I wanted to represent the joy of its chatter and the beauty of its feathers; which together results in a daily celebration of nature. At the time I chose my canvas, I had the vision of my art on a door that today looks worn and dirty but was once part of our beautiful homeland history. Thus, I set myself the goal of transforming it and reviving the beauty that one day dressed it, creating a work that transmits the happiness that is only felt on a holiday.
Artists who participated on pieces / doors in The Casco Door Project in 2019:
- Achu Kantule
- Pablo Arosemena
- Annamaria Zampogna
- Carolina Kardonski
- Margaret Amar
- Maritza Sevilla
- María Gabriela Zerpa
- Not Common Girls
- Laura Otero
- Marita Preciado
- May Balan
- Ian Begg
- Diana Milena Salas
- Harry Sigel
- Lucio López Kansuet
- Nayleen Quintero
- Margarita Boyd
- Tito Rodríguez
- Argimiro Armuelles
- Johanna Escobar
- Jairo Castro
- INSANO
- Markelita Reyes de Bogue
- Vanessa Orelli
- Diego Fábrega
- S. Tarkus
- Priscila Ramírez
- Manuel Jaén
- Jairo Romero
- Juan Manuel Cambefort
- Angie Tryhane Singh
- Jairo Quintero Arce
- Marly Dominguez
- Pascual Rudas
- Enoc Rudas
- Idielgo Perez
- Alfredo Belda
- Juan Carlos Correa
- Esviel Jeffers
- Jabriel Lafrance Johnson
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