Salcajá Immortalizes Guatemalan Resilience with the Inauguration of the Monumental Mural "The Silence of the 2020 Curfew"
By Pablo Barrera / Images courtesy of Sergio Alvarado via Mildred Estrada
SALCAJÁ, QUETZALTENANGO – In an evening marked by emotion and the recognition of collective memory, the official inauguration and unveiling of the mural "The Silence of the 2020 Curfew" took place last Saturday, March 21, at 6:00 PM in the lobby of the Salcajá Convention Center. The event was attended by the renowned master artist Sergio Alvarado, municipal authorities led by Lic. William Calderón, and the team of specialists who made this historic work possible, representing a milestone in Guatemalan art.
What now stands as a visual landmark measuring 4.50 by 6.53 meters began in the solitude of confinement. On March 22, 2020, as the country plunged into the uncertainty of the first curfew, artist Sergio Alvarado took a blank canvas to channel the emotions of a world in absolute silence. Following a six-year process of creative evolution and administrative efforts, that emergency sketch has been transformed into a permanent legacy for the cultural heritage of Quetzaltenango.
The piece, executed with a mixed technique of charcoal, acrylic, and oils, utilizes horizontal and vertical brushstrokes that emulate the work of Salcajá’s weavers, intertwining local identity with contemporary history.
Every detail of the mural narrates a duality: from the "Red Moon" and folk mysticism to the "Grey Circle" symbolizing the confinement of houses without doors or windows, contrasted by the smoke from chimneys representing latent life and hope.
This project was made possible thanks to the collaborative work of a multidisciplinary team that accompanied Master Alvarado:
* Quetzaly Alvarado, Artist.
* Mildred Estrada de Alvarado, Primary Education Teacher.
* Melvin Tajiboy Juárez, Artist.
* Carlos Ordoñez, Professor of Plastic Arts.
With this delivery, the current municipal administration and its Council have reaffirmed their commitment to the dignification of public spaces and the promotion of art as a tool for civic unity. The mural is not merely a decorative piece; it is an emotional bridge between yesterday and today, designed to be contemplated especially during the transition from afternoon to evening, marking the line between who we were and the strengthened version of today's society.
The Municipality of Salcajá invites the general public and visitors to discover this work at the Convention Center, a space where the silence of 2020 has become an eternal testimony of resilience and creativity.
