There is excellent news for Costa Rican art, and culture lovers: The Juan Santamaría Historical and Cultural Museum in Alajuela opened the new two-dimensional exhibition “Raíces de colores” (Roots of Color) by the local painter Christopher Quirós. The exposition will be held at the Luis Alberto Salas Corrales Hall.
The painter’s works comprise a collection of seven oil paintings on canvas. Quirós seeks to highlight the typical Costa Rican costumes, emphasizing their physical and symbolic characteristics.
“We intend to highlight the typical costumes’ variety, color, and beauty. We have to offer the world a world of colors, fabrics, and movement through the typical costumes and our dances,” explained the painter.
According to the Juan Santamaría Historical and Cultural Museum, traditional dances, together with the traditional garments, are part of the Costa Rican elements that make up the country’s collective heritage.
“The importance of the symbolic character behind the typical costumes, as a Costa Rican tradition, lies within the sense of belonging to a historical-cultural group. Such costumes provide identification and notion of group identity in the population, thus generating social cohesion,” the institution communicated.
In addition, The Juan Santamaría Historical and Cultural Museum mentioned that the “importance of the exhibition in question lies in Quirós’ position, where through his painting, he reproduces not only the tradition with a nostalgic look towards past times, but also seeks to show the typical costume as a means to glimpse a part of the identity.”
“I intend to convey a message to the visitors: that the paintings make them see beyond the woman in a dress; that the visitor can notice the happiness, love, and beauty of our country in the movements captured on the dancers’ dowries,” the artist stated.
The exhibition will be available until October 16, Tuesday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Juan Santamaría Museum, in Alajuela. Admission is free.
The Ministry of Culture and Youth invites everyone to the museum to admire the works of art. It is an excellent opportunity for foreigners to get to know the country’s culture and enjoy and support national talent.
