Yaucromatic2: A Riot of Colors in Yauco
Following the hurricanes of September 2017, more and more citizen groups in Puerto Rico are turning to the Arts to aid in the recovery efforts of their towns. Pintalto, along with the group Arte Para Unir (Art to Unite) in Yauco, in the southwest region of the island, is one of those groups working to help their town rebound. Yaucromatic2 is an urban art and mural initiative aimed at increasing the number of visitors to Yauco. The art is colorful and bright, and you can’t help but smile when you see it. Be sure to add Yauco to your list of places to stop as you travel the south coast of Puerto Rico.
Yaucromatic2: What Is It?
The original Yaucromatic, in 2017, consisted of 16 murals spread across the public spaces of Yauco. The guiding principle of the project is that “Art is not only for museums, it is for the people”.
That initiative brought an influx of tourists to the area, which contributed to the creation of new businesses, rehabilitation of existing businesses, and represented an economic injection to the municipality. At the same time, public and private spaces that had been abandoned in the past have been rescued.
In September 2017 Hurricane Maria devastated the island, and the need to help revitalize the town was more important than ever. Due to the response to the original Yaucromatic, the artists of nonprofit Arte Para Unir (Art to Unite) decided to produce this second edition in 2018.
Yaucromatic2 consists of another 13 murals, one of which is the “macromural” Tropical Breeze in the Cantera community of Cerro de Yauco, conceived by the artist Samuel González. The residents of the community were the ones who were commissioned to paint this “macromural” is across 20 houses on Eugenio Sánchez López Street. The end result is breathtaking.
The remaining 12 murals that comprise Yaucromatic2 were worked on by 20 artists. Those murals represent the exodus of Puerto Ricans abroad, social change, nature, the fight against cancer, and the role that coffee played in the history of Yauco.
Where Is It?
The Tropical Breeze “macromural” is on Calle Eugenio Sánchez López, which is a couple blocks from the public plaza in Yauco. There are also a number of murals around the public plaza. We suggest you take some time and do a walking tour and find them all! It’s suggested that you park near the plaza, where there is more space, and take your time while you walk around and enjoy the art. There is a map on the Yaucromatic Facebook page that shows the location of the murals.
Details
There is no cost to view the murals. But while you’re there, have lunch, coffee, ice cream, or buy some souvenirs to help out the small businesses in Yauco.
The murals are best viewed during daylight hours.
As you drive around “downtown Yauco”, be aware that many streets are one-way, so it may take some weaving back and forth through the town to get where you’re going. That’s why we recommend just parking your car and walking around.
You can get more information about the project on the Yaucromatic web site and the Yaucromatic Facebook page.
Driving from the San Juan area, you would take Route 18/52 south (through Ponce) to Route 2 west. From Route 2, you’d take Route 359 north to Route 127 west into the town of Yauco.
Yauco is located in the southwest region of Puerto Rico. If you are staying the San Juan area, it’s best to make your visit to Yauco part of a bigger trip that includes Ponce, Cabo Rojo, or Guánica.
Click on a placename below to view the location on Google Maps ...
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