In the framework of the Bicentennial of the Independence of Costa Rica and thanks to a public-private alliance, Mucap (Cartago Savings and Loan Entity) accepted the challenge of making a sculpture, which since last week is the monument that commemorates such an important event.
Today Costa Rica is one of the few nations in the world that enjoys the privilege of celebrating the Bicentennial of independent life, it is one of the most consolidated democracies in the world, for which it was necessary to have a monument that pays tribute to the Homeland.
The Monument to the Bicentennial is located in the Plaza Mayor of Cartago, measures approximately 12 meters and is in one of the main spaces of coexistence, transit and social exchange in the center of the canton, in addition to being Cartago the province in which on October 29th in 1821, the signing and swearing in of the act of the Independence of Costa Rica was carried out.
Mucap as an entity with a broad presence and projection throughout the country, and within the framework of its 50th anniversary, participated in this mega project, which was developed in seven months, this as a sign of gratitude to Costa Ricans for their trust and preference in the entity.
This is a work that the Costa Rican people deserve and need, since the country’s victory is not only having obtained Independence, but maintaining it through 200 years, said Eugenia Meza, General Manager of Mucap.
Honoring and making us proud
“When we realized that, after 200 years of independent life, Costa Rica did not have a monument to commemorate its Independence, we accepted the challenge posed by the Municipality of Cartago to make the donation of the work, which today honors and makes us proud. Furthermore, this project fits perfectly with our corporate social responsibility programs, which transcend the line of our business and allow us to positively influence society in general”, added the General Manager of Mucap.
Mucap’s participation focused on the hiring of the sculpture and its respective donation so that it functions as the Monument that commemorates the Bicentennial of the Independence of Costa Rica.
To develop this work, it had the approval of the Center for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (CICOPAC) of the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCJ), the Federated College of Engineers and Architects and the Municipality of Cartago.
Description of the Work: “Victorious Costa Rica”
The Monument to the Independence of Costa Rica, seeks to represent in art the legacy of the ancestors and the future of the country, represented by a woman who symbolizes life and freedom.
The monument to Independence “Victorious Costa Rica” is represented in a powerful winged female figure in an attitude of flight, as an allegory of Costa Rica in freedom. Its majesty denotes the growth that Costa Rica has enjoyed in its two hundred years of independent life. Its posture represents the strength with which he rises from the earth in the face of adversity, with the optimism and impulse to continue forward, thus highlighting the fact that freedom is not a completed act but a path, a continuous struggle that must be give every day to protect and strengthen this privilege.
The main structure rests on a pedestal that symbolizes in all its diameter the Nation, the Costa Rican State and the composition of the colonial society. The monument includes a variety of materials, starting from its base with a volcanic granite ring, ancient pieces extracted from the volcano’s slopes, and carved by the stonemasons of Cervantes de Cartago.
The human figure is in structural stainless steel. In semi matte finish. The face is modeled in clay and cast in bronze like his hands, this metal is imported in ingots and cast in Costa Rica, with the best artistic casting technology, guaranteeing its stability and chemical homogeneity.
The technique of the hands and the face is artistic modeling and casting, the axis on which the figure is mounted is made of welded stainless steel. This is the result of the joint work of hundreds of Costa Ricans who managed to capture the design and work of the artist Ángel Lara.
About the artist
Ángel Lara Vargas is a young Costa Rican sculptor, he studied at the Castella Conservatory, as well as Plastic Arts with an emphasis on sculpture at the University of Costa Rica. From an early age he was exposed to art, as he grew up in the sculpture workshop of his father, who bears his name.
In recent years, his work as a sculptor has led him to put aside his roots as a stone carver, to focus on the production of large-format sculptures. Today, his works are in different countries around the world such as Australia, Germany, Russia, the United States and South Korea. The artist has held multiple individual and group exhibitions, and his works include several national and international monuments.
