15.12.2014
From renowned architects to high school students, through to diplomatic missions in the British capital, the Second Afro-Hispanic Cultural Week (8-12 December), sponsored by the Embassy of Equatorial Guinea in the UK, brought together a diverse audience.
This event was held by Patrimonio Guinea 2020 for the 2nd Afro-Hispanic Cultural Week, held at La Galleria Pall Mall London, from 8 to 12 December, under the title “Equatorial Guinea: Lived Architecture”. During the opening of the exhibition, the architect Ramón Estalella, 83, said: “It is an honor to see part of my work done 50 years ago in Equatorial Guinea now exhibited in London. It was always my dream to see those houses finally inhabited; I haven’t been back to the country since 1968.” Mr. Estalella is responsible for the construction projects that were conducted simultaneously on Bioko Island and the mainland region of Equatorial Guinea in the 1960s, along with other architects also featured in the exhibition.
The opening ceremony was marked by the presence of figures from diplomatic missions, the tourism sector, the London arts scene (such as the director of Gallery of African Art, Mrs. Bendu Cooper), representatives of the UK public and private sectors, university professors, and of course, the Equatorial Guinean community in London.
During the week, students from Saint Charles College also enjoyed a visit guided by a consultant of the Embassy. One of the teachers, Yolanda Ramirez, declared that “this historical journey through the country’s architecture is very educational for the kids, and for Spanish teachers, it helps us expand the vision we have of this language with the African connection”.
The exhibition spans three centuries of urban heritage and historic buildings, and it highlights projects throughout the different periods of occupation in different regions, focusing on historical sites. This exhibition also illustrates, in a very tangible way, the Afro-Hispanic cultural links which this event celebrates every year.
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