Saving the Old Buildings of Tegucigalpa

Young people need spaces where they can make their ideas come to life and demonstrate what Honduran art -- sculpture, painting, graffiti -- is all about.

By Alejandra Elvir
It is sad to see how so many beautiful antique buildings in Honduras' capital have been neglected and forgotten. Now, all that stands in many old areas of Tegucigalpa are decaying structures that serve as city dumpsters. The only reason these buildings have not been torn down is because of the legislation known as Decree No. 220-7, the “Cultural Heritage Protection Act”. One of the most important of the protected sites is the National Penitentiary, which was declared a national monument in November 2002.

Numerous artists from different organizations such as Art Project, Women in the Arts, the Institute of Fine Arts, and independent groups have come together in an effort to rescue old buildings throughout Tegucigalpa which are deteriorating daily. The reality is that the government finds it easier to demolish these type of constructions than to repair and maintain them. This represents a huge loss to Honduras' cultural history.

About three months ago, someone came up with the wonderful idea of converting old buildings such as the National Penitentiary (built in the 1880s) into places that could be used for artistic and cultural expression by Honduran youth. All that is needed is for citizens -- and particularly the youth -- to become advocates of the proposal... to organize in support of protecting and preserving those precious physical symbols of our heritage, and to do so for the sake of creative expression.

Young people need spaces where they can make their ideas come to life and demonstrate what Honduran art -- sculpture, painting, graffiti -- is all about. Such art forms are generally disregarded in Honduras owing to a lack of support and promotion in schools. But this situation can be changed by offering youth spaces in places that have a connection to the past. (8/27/11)