text & photos by Lena Johannessen
Starting this month, there is a new cultural meeting point
in San Salvador. “Culto a El Salvador” is the name of an area in
the lobby of Hotel Real Intercontinental San Salvador where each month the works
of local artists will be displayed. “And as the name suggests, the emphasis
is on exhibiting works that reflect the typical Salvadoran,” explains
Ramiro Zepeda Roldán, manager of public relations of the hotel.
The creation of this meeting point is a result of a longtime
desire of Zepeda Roldán to give the hotel more “personality”
by promoting the local culture, and, as he joined up with painters Luis Lazo
and Danilo Arocha, the plan materialized into this first exhibit taking place
this month. The concept of “Culto a El Salvador” is innovating in
the sense that it not only displays the works of the artists, but also has an
educational character.
Next to the paintings of inaugural artist Danilo Arocha (Cuba),
there is a series of photos and texts depicting the whole process of creating
the work, from piecing together the frame and canvas to the finishing touches
of paint. This is to show the laborious process of making a work of art.
The plan is to do this with each artist to educate the public
not only about the artist but how these creations came to be. In the future,
Zepeda Roldán wishes to include more cultural presentations,
such as dance and music. This will
be a convenience for the many guests who
arrive at the hotel with no time to look
for art galleries and for those who simply
prefer entertainment within the hotel. The
hotel plans to keep a book where the log of
every artist and presentation will be kept,
so that visitors can read about the different
activities that have taken place.
Zepeda Roldán feels that when visitors
come to a hotel, it is important to make
them get the feel of the country they are
visiting and avoid the impersonal and
universal touch, which franchise hotels
sometimes suffer.
“So why a Cuban painter?” I ask. “It’s
symbolic,” Zepeda Roldán explains. “The
artist we will feature at the inauguration
of Culto a El Salvador is someone who has
managed to capture the soul of this country
through his paintings of our volcanoes. We
think it is suitable that a foreigner who has
come to love our country as his own is a
great way of showing the importance of
projecting our country and pride of our
natural and cultural heritage.” •
Painter Danilo Arocha with Ramiro Zepeda
Roldán, manager of public relations at
Hotel Real Intercontinental San Salvador.
The painting is one of Arocha’s works from
the exhibition for the opening of the new
cultural meeting point, “Culto a El Salvador.”
