SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 21 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The town of San Juan de la Rambla, in Tenerife, played host to the first edition of the ‘Artistic Initiative for Sustainable Practices’ this Saturday. It was a day open to public participation, featuring various artistic expressions across different neighbourhoods in the town aimed at raising awareness and promoting the values of the Canary Islands Agenda 2030.
Starting early on Saturday, a large-scale collaborative effort named ‘My Town, My House’ unfolded, engaging residents from six neighbourhoods of San Juan de la Rambla with the artist. Over several weeks, they collected second-hand clothing throughout the municipality and used these items to create the slogan ‘My Town, My House’ in the squares of the various neighbourhoods, celebrating the diverse community members.
The slogan was inspired by an emblem from the 1970s when the first garbage bins arrived in the municipality. A local resident coined the phrase ‘Your town, your house, keep it clean.’ This time around, the phrase was revived to spotlight the local populace itself.
Residents and musical groups like Los Alzados participated in the event, showcasing how collective actions can foster respect and care for both the land and its people. Later, a photographic exhibition was organised by a group of residents in the Las Aguas neighbourhood over the past month, in collaboration with local artists.
Additionally, a collective installation of over 300 pairs of collected shoes was set up in the same area, placed facing the sea. This symbolic act, under the motto “what is not known, is not loved,” symbolises contemplation of the sea and our connection with the natural world, urging reflection on our relationship with the surrounding nature and the critical need to care for and preserve our coastline and marine ecosystems.
In the afternoon, the Las Aguas neighbourhood hosted another community event: the ‘Sustainability Parade,’ featuring a three-metre-high and twelve-metre-long puppet carried by residents, project participants, in collaboration with the Ataretaco Foundation and artist Carla León. The parade included live music and the sound of the conch shell as a complement to the giant puppet. The figure represented the sea uniting the Canary Islands and the journey towards sustainability that all eight islands are embarking on.
ARTISTIC INITIATIVE FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
The project is spearheaded by ABONA(R) in cultural sustainability fields and emerges from a reflection process on how the realm of culture can and should contribute to sustainable development. The project’s goal is to implement novel working methods through socially impactful activities, where cultural and artistic creations align with the development and promotion of a more sustainable society in the Canary Islands.
These initiatives aim to showcase the local culture, innovating and creating with vitality and creativity, integrating traditional wisdom and native cultures to tackle the upcoming challenges. It is notable that recycled and locally sourced materials have been utilised throughout the creative process.
