Compartiendo con Panama: About

El arte como alternativa para la conducta anti-social

En 1997 el artista miamense Xavier Cortada viajó a Bolivia para trabajar con niños de la calle y drogadictos en la creación de murales con mensajes sociales que luego serían expuestos en museos de ese país andino. Este proceso creativo que sintetiza arte con acción social comenzó en 1994 en un centro comunitario con niños de la calle en Africa del Sur. Cortada, que es un experto en el tema de las drogas, se encontraba en el gueto de Soweto para ofrecer una charla. Frustrado con la insuficiencia de la traducción, acudió a papel y lápiz para expresar sus ideas con dibujos. La reacción positiva de los jóvenes a las imágenes que pintaba Cortada lo convenció que efectivamente, un dibujo vale por mil palabras. En el acto el pintor decidió fundir su trabajo social con su vocación artística. Talento y pasión por los pobres de la tierra lo ha conducido a cuatro continentes en donde ha llevado a cabo un impresionante número de proyectos. Su presencia en Panamá, como artista así como conferencista, es una continuación de la misión de Cortada.

En Panamá, el pintor tiene un agenda cargado que combina conferencias, talleres y exposiciones. El 6 de septiembre, Cortada presentará una conferencia en la capital, sobre el uso del arte como agente de cambio social para profesionales que trabajan con temas relacionados a la drogadicción. Después, Cortada conducirá talleres con jóvenes en Chiriquí, Colón y Panamá, con el fin de generar conciencia, estimular pensamiento, y crear un inmenso mural colaborativo titulado “Pintando un Panamá libre de drogas”. Cortada guiará a los participantes en dibujar o escribir mensajes que serán integrados al mural.

La estancia de Cortada en Panamá culmina con la muestra titulada “Compartiendo con Panamá” en la Universidad de Panamá. La exposición consiste en cuadros sobre temas sociales pintados por Cortada, más el mural que creará con la participación de jóvenes panameños. La muestra, que tiene su inauguración el 10 de septiembre, es patrocinada por FAVA/CA (Voluntarios de Florida para la Ayuda Internacional), la Cruz Blanca Panameña y Regis House, un centro de apoyo para jóvenes y sus familias en Miami.

Hablando de su obra personal y de su estrategia colaborativa el artista explica, “si bien mis lienzos son creaciones personales, los murales que pinto en forma cooperativa con otras personas son actos sumamente públicos”. Continúa Cortada — “Los murales comunitarios los pintan personas que pertenecen a la comunidad o entidad que desea utilizar esta vía para comunicar a través del arte. La obra creada bajo mi dirección, tiene como propósito concientizar a los creadores al igual que a las personas que la observan.”

En una semana llenas de actividad y energía, el pintor cubano-norteamericano compartirá sus inquietudes, sus esperanzas, y su talento con Panamá.

The Exhibit

4-C
36″ x 48″
Acrylic on canvas, 1997

Calor (Warmth)
36″ x 48″
Acrylic on Canvas, 1998

Cristo Cusqueno
48″ x 36″
Acrylic on Canvas, 1998

Las Malas Influencias (Bad Influences)
48″ x 36″
Acrylic on Canvas, 1998

Vecinas
30″ x 40″
Acrylic on Canvas, 1996

x -> dx -> tx -> o
36″ x 48″
Acrylic on canvas 1998

Peligro (Danger)
48″ x 36″
Acrylic on Canvas, 1998

Exhibit also included:

Naufragos (Shipwrecked)
48″ x 36″
Acrylic on Canvas, 1998

and

The MADD National Youth Summit Mural
24″ x108″
Multimedia on canvas, 1997

Report on the activities and accomplishments of the collaborative art-based drug prevention effort and training workshops

Prepared by Xavier Cortada

Presented to

Harry Cruz, Regis House

Aileen Sanchez, FAVA/CA

Enrique Warner, and La Cruz Blanca Panameña

On

Sepetmber 20, 1999

Introduction:

FAVA/CA, the Florida International Volunteer Corps, contacted Regis House to help La Cruz Blanca Panameña promulgate its drug prevention and treatment strategies through a series of training workshops and arts-based drug prevention activities. These efforts which included a week-long seminar, an art exhibit of paintings on substance abuse, and the creation of a collaborative mural were collectively organized under the project title of “Compartiendo con Panamá”

Activities:

Regis House, a Florida non-profit agency incorporated in 1984 under the leadership of Fr. Francisco Perez-Lerena, S.J., volunteered two consultants to implement the “Compartiendo con Panamá” project: Miami-based artist and prevention specialist Xavier Cortada, M.P.A., J.D. and Nicaraguan-born therapist and drug educator, Dr. Danilo Pozo, P.A., C.A.P.

The Conference

On September 6, 1999 at 9 a.m., Mr. Cortada and Dr. Pozo joined officers of help La Cruz Blanca Panameña and diginitaries (including the Vice Mayor of Panama, and the Vice Minister of Health) in a press conference and launching of the “Compartiendo con Panamá” project at the hotel El Panama in Panama City.

At 10:00 am, Mr. Cortada presented the conference’s first workshop, “Art-based Prevention Strategies,” which included a video and slide show presentation of successful art projects he had conducted. Starting at 1 p.m. that after noon, Dr. Pozo presented lectures on prevention and treatment. They continued from 9 am to 4 pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and ended on Friday morning.

The Collaborative Mural

Mr. Cortada also facilitated the creation of a collaborative mural, Pintemos un Panama Libre de Drogas, acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 48″ x 108″ (1999), which was donated to the “people of Panama” on behalf of FAVA/CA’s and Regis House, and La Cruz Blanca Panameña. La Cruz Blanca Panameña, which hopes to use this mural to launch a cultural program that will commission, exhibit and grow a permanent collection of other collaborative community art pieces, is the organization charged with fiduciary and custodial responsibility over the mural.

The collaborative mural creation process included sessions with youth in three Panamanian provinces. These youth were convened by the regional offices of help La Cruz Blanca Panameña that had previously provided prevention services to these adolescents. As such, some of the sessions focused not only on a prevention activity aimed directly at the participants but also as a training workshop on art-based strategies which these youth leaders could implement in their communities

City Date Number of participants

David, Chiriqui 9/4/99 40
Colon 9/7/99 40
Panama City 9/8/99 50
During the three sessions Cortada lectured on prevention, and facilitated a group session that ended with each youth drawing or writing a drug prevention message on a small piece of paper. This along with the input/messages Cortada received from 20 conference participants during his presentation/workshop on September 6, 1999, yielded 200 images that were incorporated into the collaborative mural.

Cortada began creating the mural on Wednesday and completed it 24 hours later. The mural was created on four three foot by four foot canvas panels, for easy transport and handling. The mural’s central image was Cortada’s composition of Panamanians reaching out to and supporting one another as family; it was surrounded by a collage of 200 anti-drug messages and drawings that were glued on with the help of art students and select La Cruz Blanca Panameña volunteers. The mural was titled: Pintemos un Panama Libre de Drogas, acrylic and mixed media on canvas, 48″ x 108″ (1999).

The Pintemos un Panama Libre de Drogas mural captures the individual and collective resolve of the people of Panama with respect to one of the biggest problems they confront. It serves as a testament to their commitment, courage and creativity as they collaborate with one another to create a drug-free nation. Decades the same school children who created the mural can return with their children and grandchildren and demonstrate how they worked through La Cruz Blanca Panameña to build them a country free from the scourge of drugs.

The Unveiling

Panama’s First Lady, Panama City’s Mayor, the country’s Eduaction Minister, the nation’s Procurador, and La Cruz Blanca’s President, joined artist Xavier Cortada in unveiling the Pintemos un Panama Libre de Drogas mural at a special luncheon on September 10, 1999 in the El Panama Hotel. Invitees included over one hundred people representing many of the nation’s governmental, international and non-profit anti-drug organizations, as well as media, conference participants, and artists. The luncheon also featured a privite showing of Cortada’s anti-drug exhibit which was to be opened later on that evening at the University.

The Art Exhibit

Mr. Cortada, who designed the overall program, presented “Compartiendo con Panama” , an exhibit of his anti-drug paintings, at the El Panama during the length of the conference before transporting the works to the the Simon Bolivar Library of La Universidad de Panamá for the opening of the exhibit on the evening of September 10, 1999. The exhibit consisted of eight drug-prevention themed paintings created by Xavier Cortada and a six panel photo-reproduction of a mural created in the Washington DC MADD National Youth Summit. These paintings/photos will remain in Panama for several weeks, with planned exhibits in the Municipal Palace and Chase Manhattan Bank, before being shipped back to the US.

La Cruz Blanca Panameña sought local corporate sponsors to create a “Compartiendo con Panamá” catalog for the exhibit. The following is a listing of the pieces in the “Compartiendo con Panamá” exhibit:

  1. MADD Youth Summit Mural Photo of Multimedia 1997 24″ X 108″ (six panels)
  2. Vecinas Acrylic on canvas 1996 30″ x 40″
  3. Cristo Cusqueño Acrylic on canvas 1997 48″ x 36″
  4. 4-C Acrylic on canvas 1997 36″ x 48″
  5. x à dx à tx à o Acrylic on canvas 1997 36″ x 48″
  6. Las Malas Influencias (Bad Influences) Acrylic on canvas 1997 48″ x 36″
  7. Calor (Warmth) Acrylic on canvas 1997 48″ x 36″
  8. Peligro (Danger) Acrylic on canvas 1997 48″ x 36″
  9. Náufragos (Shipwrecked) Acrylic on canvas 1997 48″ x 36″

The exhibit also included another piece, which is to remain permanently in Panama. That is the 4-panel collaborative mural created with drawings and messages created by 200 Panamanian youth during the “Compartiendo con Panamá” project.

10. Pintemos un Panama Libre de Drogas Mixed media on canvas 1999 48″ x 108″

The Website

The entire exhibit, except for the collaborative mural, which was created on-site, could also be viewed via a virtual exhibit on a webpages specifically designed for the project. The site contains photographs of the paintings, along with a description of the project (in Spanish) and links to the FAVA/CA and La Cruz Blanca Panameña. Naturally, all participating agencies are welcome and encouraged to link to that webpage: www.cortada.com/panama.

Non-programmed Accomplishments and Conclusions:

The “Compartiendo con Panamá” project exceeded all expectations of success. Media exposure in newspapers, radio, and television was astounding, covering the project from beginning to end. Impromptu meetings with interested parties, including University art students, high school art students, and prominent local artists, provided opportunities for further dissemination of the collaborative art construct.

The Colon prevention sessions yielded the planning of a community mural for the Colon community. Using the lessons learned in the prevention sessions, youth decided they wanted to create a drug prevention mural for their community. Cortada facilitated a meeting where three youth leaders were selected by their peers to lead them in finding siting, developing a theme, designing the composition and painting a mural in the city.

La Cruz Blanca should, reach out to artists’ group and link with regional offices to develop similar murals in Panama. The organization’s technical staff already benefited from Cortada’s conference presentation on this mural creating process. Similarly, along with many professional artists and art students, they witnessed and/or participated in the hands-on mural creating process. It is only a matter of linking them together before this art-based prevention activity can spread throughout the country.

The impact of our work also moved others into action: The US Narcotic Affairs Section Director in Panama was present at the unveiling luncheon, and pledges to underwrite the costs of creating life-size photo-replicas and traditional posters of Pintemos un Panama Libre de Drogas mural. Two of these life-size replicas are to be placed in Chiriqui and Colon, and the posters are to be disseminated to the 200 mural collaborators as well as schools, governmental institutions, parks and other areas that would benefit from the prevention message. Naturally, after it travels to cultural centers and municipal palaces in other provinces, La Cruz Blanca should keep the Pintemos un Panama Libre de Drogas mural in Panama City, safe and secure for future generations.

Recommendations for Regis House and FAVA/CA:

This art-based effort has a remarkable appeal and should be an obvious choice for replication in other sites. Indeed, there is already support for it: Two of the conference participants were from Casa Abierta in the Dominican Republic–they are eager to host a FAVA/CA-Regis House sponsored “Compartiendo con La Republica Dominicana.” The program is ideal because it uses art as a universal language to help coalesce others in delivering a very important message. It also sets a pace for the conference, building to a crescendo as the mural is completed and unveiled. And naturally, because it is visual and gradually builds on itself, it is a natural for media attention. Lastly, long after the program ends, it remains as a conspicuous reminder of all the things that were resolved and accomplished during the process.

Regis House and FAVA/CA should explore a more permanent partnership to replicate this program in various other sites. A weeklong program like this can be easily replicated on a quarterly basis. From an artistic point of view, Cortada is willing to participate, loan his anti-drug exhibit to local cultural institutions, and on the agencies’ behalf donate the collaborative murals to established museums and cultural institutions for the enjoyment of future generations.

Moreover, perhaps partnering with La Cruz Blanca and other agencies, we could materials to allow for replication of the program; that is, developing a step by step approach of the overall project, printing a catalog of the exhibit, and/or a creating a formal curriculum detailing the prevention activities and steps of this collaborative art making process.

PRESS

Panama Conducts Substance Abuse Conference/Art Project

FAVA/CA volunteers Dr. Danilo Pozo and Xavier Cortada, both of Miami, offered training in substance abuse prevention from Sept. 6 through 10 in Panama City, Panama. Pozo is a consultant for Regis House, a mental-health center, serving addicted youth, adults and families in Miami. Cortada is an artist and lawyer, who works closely with Regis House in facilitating arts and culture programs.

Enrique Warner, director of Cruz Blanca Panameña, a Panama City-based non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of drug abuse, hosted the training in counseling for community representatives.

Social workers, nurses, doctors and psychologists received training on how to assist addicted youth, adults and families. The conference included a week-long seminar, an art exhibit of painting on substance abuse, and the creation of a collaborative mural.

“It was a pleasure to facilitate the creation of the Pintemos un Panama Libre de Drogas mural, capturing the individual and collective resolve of the people of Panama,” Cortada said. “Decades from now, the same school children who created the mural can return with their children and grandchildren and demonstrate how they worked through La Cruz Blanca Panameña to build a country free from the scourge of drugs.”

Panama’s first lady Dora Boyd de Perez Ballares unveiled the 12-foot-long anti-drug, pro-social, collaborative murals produced by Mr. Cortada and children and university students. The art projects serve to raise awareness and foster community participation as well as deliver pro-social messages about the effectiveness of drug prevention and treatment.

“The coming together of community members to create these pro-social collaborative murals helps resurrect empathy and unity in the community. In essence, using art to reshape the community’s self-image, using art to reestablish a sense of connection and belonging among Caribbean and Central American Hispanic families,” Cortada said.

More information about the exhibit, including photographs of paintings, may be obtained by visiting Cortada’s web site at www.cortada.com/panama

El Boletín de FAVA/CA y de sus Actividades en el Caribe y América Central

Panamá realiza conferencia sobre abuso de drogas y proyectos de arte

Los voluntarios de FAVA/CA, Dr. Danilo Pozo y Xavier Cortada, ambos de Miami, ofrecieron capacitación sobre la prevención del abuso de sustancias del 6 al 10 de setiembre, en la Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá. Pozo es consejero en Regis House, un centro de salud mental que atiende jóvenes, adultos y familias con problemas de adicción en Miami. Cortada es un artista y abogado que trabaja estrechamente con Regis House facilitando programas culturales y artísticos.

Enrique Wagner, director de La Cruz Blanca Panameña, una organización sin fines de lucro dedicada a la prevención y tratamiento del abuso de drogas, con base en la Ciudad de Panamá, fue el anfitrión del evento que trató sobre consejería para líderes comunitarios.

Trabajadores sociales, enfermeros, doctores y psicólogos recibieron instrucción sobre cómo ayudar a jóvenes y adultos adictos a los drogas y sus familias. La conferencia incluyó un seminario de una semana, una exhibición de arte con pinturas sobre el abuso de drogas, y la creación de un mural colectivo.

“Fue un placer facilitar la creación del mural ‘Pintemos un Panamá Libre de Drogas,’ capturar la intención individual y colectiva de la gente de Panamá,” declaró Cortada. “De acá a unas décadas, los mismos escolares que crearon el mural pueden regresar con sus hijos y nietos y mostrarles cómo trabajaron junto con La Cruz Blanca Panameña para construir un país libre del azote de las drogas.”

La primera dama de Panamá, Dora Boyd de Pérez Ballares, mostró el mural anti-drogas de 12 pies de largo, producido colectivamente por el Sr. Cortada, niños y universitarios. Losproyectos de arte sirven para crear conciencia y alentar la participación de la comunidad, así como para dar mensajes pro-sociales acerca de la efectividad de la prevención de drogas y su tratamiento.

“El trabajo en grupo de los miembros de la comunidad, para crear estos murales colectivos pro-sociales, ayuda a resucitar la empatía y unidad en la comunidad. En esencia, usar el arte para volver a dar forma a la imagen que la comunidad tiene de sí misma, usar el arte para restablecer un sentido de conexión y pertenencia entre las familias hispanas de El Caribe y de Centro América,” dijo Cortada.

Más información acerca de la exhibición, incluyendo fotos de las pinturas, puede ser obtenida visitando el sitio web de Cortada en www.cortada.com/panama.