Walter Barco – “Litopintura”

March 22 - May 3, 2015.

Ecuadoran artist Walter Barco creates extraordinary “rock-works” that evoke nostalgic memories of his native Guayaquil’s colonial architecture and 19th century homes, using a technique he describes as “la litopintura,” or stone-painting. With incredibly fine detail, including tiny figures in the windows of these three-dimensional paintings, he brings 12 of these miniature buildings to the Museum’s Upper Gallery for a unique exhibit from March 22 to May 3.

Working with the natural contours of the stone, Barco recreates the buildings’ walls of mud-and-straw (adobe), which are traditionally painted white, or sometimes structures made of wood and painted in pastel colors of pink, yellow, or blue. They are adorned with wooden balconies, porches, doors and windows.

This mini-village is mounted on revolving turntables so visitors can take in the full dimensionality of these amazing works of art.

The exhibit is supported by a block grant from the State/County Partnership program for the Arts, administered by the Hudson County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.