Calle Lanín, Open-air art street in Barracas, Argentina
Calle Lanín is a residential street in Barracas where nearly every house displays colorful paintings and geometric patterns across its facade. The designs range from simple lines to complex color combinations, and together they form an extended gallery that runs across two city blocks.
A local artist named Marino Santa María started painting his own house in 1990, which inspired neighbors to paint theirs as well. What began as one person's idea grew into a movement that gradually transformed the entire street.
The residents transformed their neighborhood by working together to paint their homes, creating a shared artistic language that belongs to them alone. Today, the street shows how people use color and design to express their identity and connection to the place.
Visit early in the morning or late afternoon when sunlight best brings out the colors of the painted facades. The street is residential, so it is important to be respectful of residents and their privacy while walking through.
Although it appears spontaneous, the painted facades have been carefully maintained and refreshed over many years by residents. Some houses show multiple layers of paint, as people update their designs as tastes and interests change.
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