Tucked between Metrocentro and
Universidad de El Salvador is a small neighborhood park, Parque de la Colonia
Centroamerica, where Salvadorans go for lunch or a break from work. On one side of the park is Museo de
Arte Popular and a few blocks from it, on another side of the park, is a unique
ceramic studio called Shicali.
The main attraction at the
Museo de Arte Popular is the exhibit about “sorpresas” from Ilobasco. Here you can see the history of how
these “miniaturas” came to be. My
favorite part was seeing whole miniature scenes, like the coffee harvest, sugar cane production, the
zoo, and even the signing of the Acuerdo de Paz.
At Shicali, most of the twelve workers have some kind of physical
challenge (discapacidad fisica) and each contributes to the studio in their own
special way. On the day I was
there I met the deaf potter who was throwing large plates. I also met the woman in the wheel chair
who helped me with my purchases.
The ceramic pieces Shicali creates, both functional and decorative, are
of extremely high caliber and quite beautiful.
Upon visiting the park, museum, and ceramic studio, I felt content to
have found a small haven of art, production, and peace hidden within the chaos
of San Salvador.
There are some terrific photos of Shicali to be found on Flickr
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