Graffiti artists challenge Martinelli

IF YOU fancy your skills as a graffiti artist, or just like to join in street parties Saturday,  December 7, is your opportunity.

The Kolectivo artistic group has decided to throw down the gauntlet to President Martinelli, following his condemnation of graffiti on the Avenue of the Martyrs which he ordered painted over.

Kolectivo has called for all citizens to participate in a conference on the avenue, and ideally bring along some paint.
The goal, said Lucy Chow, is to make the event a grand cultural feast to which citizenship and different artists, whether musicians, playwrights , or painters, etc to join .
"Our intention is to paint ," Chow said , to paint for the third time the Tribute to “Heroes and Panamanian martyrs " ,.
Chow added that Kolectivo calls on the authorities " to allow us to do our job , which does not conflict with anyone, our work does not harm anything , is not damaging any wall, is not attacking anybody or against public policy, our job is merely artistic " .

She called for " no meaningless confrontations ."
Panameñista deputy Luis Eduardo Quirós expressed solidarity with the group and said: "the decision of youth to express themselves in protest with graffiti is a message to the authority that must trying to reconcile and not to confront ."