the street is our gallery

As part of the recovery campaign of the neighborhood of La Punta (Valencia), coordinated by the platform Horta és Futur NO a la ZAL, València hosted some of the most recognized urban artists in Europe.

On March 10 and 11, the platform  presented “SENSEMURS, the 1st Meeting of Muralists in support of la Huerta”, as part of the recovery campaign of the neighborhood of La Punta in València, Spain. 

The meeting of muralists is part of the campaign “Aturem la ZAL, Recuperem la Punta” (Stop de ZAL. Project to recover La Punta), which, with the support of about fifty civic, agrarian and environmental entities, demands the definitive withdrawal of the special plan of the ZAL that would convert the area into an industrial and logistics estate for the Port of València. Some of the most recognized European urban artists have participated in SENSEMURS, with the aim of giving visibility to this harassed territory and to claim for the recovery of La Punta for the city and the people.

On the weekend of the 10th and the 11th, the murals and installations were presented to the public, through a series of guided tours and activities at La Punta, bringing together almost 200 people. The artists who have participated so far have been Aryz, Borondo, Escif, Anaïs Florin, Hyuro, Liqen, Luzinterruptus, Daniel Muñoz “SAN”, Sam3 and Elías Taño, among others who collaborated such as Barbi, Sr. Marmota + Lost, and Peres in collaboration with the Association El Arca.

Despite the rain, attendees made two tours of the neighborhood accompanied by members of the Platform, exposing in first person the different territorial, social and environmental issues that converge in this area. In addition to the visits, they had the opportunity to enjoy a paella of organic and local products, as well as a seed workshop and a concert. The great success of this Meeting, as well as the interest generated by the activities, confirms that the struggle for the recovery of La Punta is alive. The “Aturem la ZAL, Recuperem la Punta” campaign has just begun.

La Punta must be the reference of a new territorial policy

“La Huerta” is how valencian people call the vast and fertile land that surrounds the city, one of the only six peri-urban orchards left in Europe. La Punta, district of the south of València known historically for its rural life, has been the victim of repeated abuses by the administrations. Despite being recognized as a “non-developable land of special protection”, its natural and living environment has been severally damaged by the unstoppable growth of the port. The project of “Zone of Logistic Activities” (ZAL in Spanish) promoted by the Port of València and the City Council, implied that its protection was withdrawn, a hundred of families were expelled from the zone and the orchards and houses were devastated to yield an enormous plot to the port, which is still abandoned today.

 

 

The resistance of the neighbors did not stop the destruction of 70 ha of productive orchard, but it did paralyze the ZAL. Three judgments of the High Court of Justice annulled the project. Recently, however, the procedures to reactivate the ZAL have started again.

The artistic project intends to raise awareness of the importance of protecting La Huerta and its inhabitants by saying NO to the ZAL. The citizens have the right to decide a better future for the place they live in, through policies that preserve their culture and identity and natural value of the area. The recovery of La Punta would be the symbol that another kind of development is possible, giving priority to the natural environment, its inhabitants and their living heritage.

Photos Juanmi Ponce.

More info here: https://recuperemlapunta.info/

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