Standing at the forefront of the exhibition hall, the vividly striped column in shades of red and orange pays homage to the architecture of Freddy Mamani Silvestre. Born in 1971, Mamani is a civil engineer and self-taught architect. Over the past twenty years, he has established a distinctive neo-Andean architectural style in El Alto, Bolivia, west of the capital La Paz.
El Alto, a rapidly expanding and unplanned urban center with a population of nearly one million, is predominantly inhabited by the Aymara ethnic group. Alongside the Quechua, they comprise over half of Bolivia's population. Within this cityscape, impoverished indigenous settlers predominantly originate from rural areas, laboring just a short distance away in the more affluent and predominantly Caucasian La Paz. El Alto’s growth surged as communities flocked here following the devastating 1983 drought and the closure of mines in 1985. Concurrently, a novel Aymara middle class was emerging, finding a fitting collaborator in Mamani. The Aymara, historically influential merchants predating the Spanish colonization, embraced globalization and cultivated a thriving trade in Chinese goods.
Mamani’s own humble origins as an Aymara bricklayer fueled his commitment to reshaping his city’s identity by reimagining the indigenous culture. “I strive to imbue my city with its own identity by revisiting elements of our ancestral culture,” he affirms. His architectural compositions, both exterior facades and interiors of primarily six-story edifices, draw inspiration from traditional motifs found in textiles, ceramics, and architectural relics. Design elements encompass the Andean cross, juxtaposition of diagonal surfaces, duplicity, and circular forms. Against facades adorned with sculpted stucco motifs, expansive glass panels are encased in complementary hues such as orange/green and blue/yellow. This audacious color palette stands in stark contrast to the prevailing landscape of rugged brick, framing a backdrop of a monotonous, chilly, arid plateau.
Of notable allure are the dance halls perched above the commercial establishments on the ground floor. These spaces hold profound cultural significance for migrating indigenous communities, enabling them to keep their traditions alive. Mamani ingeniously shapes his architecture to cater to their needs, crafting expansive two-story chambers replete with bars, communal tables, dance floors, and stages for live musical performances. Adjacent rooms boast embellished mirrors and an abundance of delicate lights embedded in walls and ceilings. Opulent hanging lights, sourced from China and adorned with countless bulbs, further enhance the atmosphere. The corridors are decorated with embroidered columns and balustrades in different colors and styles. Above the banquet halls, rental apartments are perched, culminating in opulent owned penthouses, often modeled after rustic farmhouses and adorned with rooftop gardens.
La Chola Poblete’s connection with Freddy Mamani extends beyond the fostering of an autonomous indigenous artistic and cultural narrative. Their bond is also rooted in the realm of social dynamics, marked by the ascent from poverty and the vantage point of an outsider that the accomplished autodidact architect embodies. While Mamani’s architectural creations capture international media attention, his bold color schemes and extravagant designs meet with reservation within established academic architectural circles. Even his innovative mixed-use building typology garners only restrained acknowledgment.
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La Chola Poblete
Standing at the forefront of the exhibition hall, the vividly striped column in shades of red and orange pays homage to the architecture of Freddy Mamani Silvestre. Born in 1971, Mamani is a civil engineer and self-taught architect. Over the past twenty years, he has established a distinctive neo-Andean architectural style in El Alto, Bolivia, west of the capital La Paz.
El Alto, a rapidly expanding and unplanned urban center with a population of nearly one million, is predominantly inhabited by the Aymara ethnic group. Alongside the Quechua, they comprise over half of Bolivia's population. Within this cityscape, impoverished indigenous settlers predominantly originate from rural areas, laboring just a short distance away in the more affluent and predominantly Caucasian La Paz. El Alto’s growth surged as communities flocked here following the devastating 1983 drought and the closure of mines in 1985. Concurrently, a novel Aymara middle class was emerging, finding a fitting collaborator in Mamani. The Aymara, historically influential merchants predating the Spanish colonization, embraced globalization and cultivated a thriving trade in Chinese goods.
Mamani’s own humble origins as an Aymara bricklayer fueled his commitment to reshaping his city’s identity by reimagining the indigenous culture. “I strive to imbue my city with its own identity by revisiting elements of our ancestral culture,” he affirms. His architectural compositions, both exterior facades and interiors of primarily six-story edifices, draw inspiration from traditional motifs found in textiles, ceramics, and architectural relics. Design elements encompass the Andean cross, juxtaposition of diagonal surfaces, duplicity, and circular forms. Against facades adorned with sculpted stucco motifs, expansive glass panels are encased in complementary hues such as orange/green and blue/yellow. This audacious color palette stands in stark contrast to the prevailing landscape of rugged brick, framing a backdrop of a monotonous, chilly, arid plateau.
Of notable allure are the dance halls perched above the commercial establishments on the ground floor. These spaces hold profound cultural significance for migrating indigenous communities, enabling them to keep their traditions alive. Mamani ingeniously shapes his architecture to cater to their needs, crafting expansive two-story chambers replete with bars, communal tables, dance floors, and stages for live musical performances. Adjacent rooms boast embellished mirrors and an abundance of delicate lights embedded in walls and ceilings. Opulent hanging lights, sourced from China and adorned with countless bulbs, further enhance the atmosphere. The corridors are decorated with embroidered columns and balustrades in different colors and styles. Above the banquet halls, rental apartments are perched, culminating in opulent owned penthouses, often modeled after rustic farmhouses and adorned with rooftop gardens.
La Chola Poblete’s connection with Freddy Mamani extends beyond the fostering of an autonomous indigenous artistic and cultural narrative. Their bond is also rooted in the realm of social dynamics, marked by the ascent from poverty and the vantage point of an outsider that the accomplished autodidact architect embodies. While Mamani’s architectural creations capture international media attention, his bold color schemes and extravagant designs meet with reservation within established academic architectural circles. Even his innovative mixed-use building typology garners only restrained acknowledgment.
Further artworks from this exhibition
La Chola Poblete: Guaymallén
Pop Icon, Holy Virgin, Pachamama: La Chola’s Vírgenes Watercolors
Hard rock, Rolinga, Ballroom: La Chola Poblete’s Banner Installation
Materiality, Metaphors, and Opposites
Myths and Madonnas: Staged Photographs
Playing with Cultural Expectations: La Chola Poblete and the Nazca Lines
Venus papas lays, 2023
Venus Cacharos, 2023