TEDDI AHRENS / CHRISTINA SMITH
Pintando Alegria is the Spanish translation of the story of Salvadoran artist Fernando Llort, who loved painting, but most of all, wanted to do something meaningful with his life. To stand for social justice and peace. He studied for the priesthood, he performed in a popular, anti-war rock band, but he never stopped painting. Finally, he settled in the small village of La Palma and when the people asked him to teach them his techniques, he found his purpose. Sensitive to the destruction of indigenous cultures and Salvadoran identity by Spanish invaders, he recreated those ancient images in his own art. He shared those images and the villagers learned how to portray themselves and their culture in colorful, imaginative ways. In doing so, he transformed the village into an artisan community, and the entire country reconnected with their ancient past. Fernando’s masterpiece was the colorful mural installed at the San Salvador Metropolitan Cathedral in 1999, tragically destroyed 13 years later. Fernando Llort, now deceased, is beloved as the national artist of El Salvador, and his art is admired around the world.
