Urban art at Pasaje Lanín in Barracas

First stage

Running three blocks between SuárezAvenue and Brandsen Street, Pasaje Lanín is completely covered in murals and mosaics. Urban art in its entire splendor.

It was Marino Santa María, a visual artist, who took it upon himself to perform on the alley where his studio is located. Wanting to share his art and bring color to grey streets, Marino decided to change his beloved neighborhood.

He first worked on the facade of his own studio and it didn’t take long for his neighbors to ask him to perform on their homes as well. So, Marino began covering the facades with murals. A renovated Pasaje Lanín was presented on 19th April, 2001 with a great street celebration.

Second transformation

Once the first stage of the transformation was completed, the artist was ready for more. The second stage, such as can be seen at present, began in 2005 with the use of Venetian mosaic and other tiles to complement the existing murals.

To do so he made use of the trecandis technique, frequently applied to cover surfaces. As a result, different types of cracked or broken pottery became real works of art.

Coming from SuárezAvenue, the first patisserie, a work in progress, with its white and pink façade comes into view. It is an invitation to visit a different world, a neighborhood treasure.

As you walk on, you can observe even the smallest detail: from the base around the trees to the lights on the different facades and their translucent mosaics.

The front of each house had different patterns, shapes, styles, sizes and colors although they could all be considered abstract muralism. Each façade is a canvas on which the artist brought his ideas to life.

Almost at the end of the alley, by the railway tracks, there is an Open Air Art Gallery calledGalería a Cielo Abierto de la Ciudad, every weekend. Exhibitions begin in March, with different renowned national artist.-

Pasaje Lanín was declared a Barracas Cultural Interest and Heritage Site by the Buenos Aires City Legislature.