The Aguiar House |
Written by Administrator |
Tuesday, 17 March 2009 16:58 |
The house of painter José Aguiar (1895-1976), which will host the first library, museum and centre of artistic productions of Agulo, is almost ready to become a reference point for the tourism and cultural development of this northern town of La Gomera. So says the chairman of the Island Council, Casimiro Curbelo, who welcomes the forthcoming conclusion of the restoration work, pending only of the final details, in which nearly half a million euros have been invested.
Curbelo explains that the execution time of the project extended until April 2009 and the smooth progress of the works predicts that there won't be delays, since the bulk of them was concluded in December 2008, and now only final details such as glasswork and woodwork remain. He emphasizes as well that the works have helped to rescue an important part of the architectural heritage and enable the enjoyment of the municipal heritage among the inhabitants of the town and among the visitors who come to the locality. The house of José Aguiar was acquired by the Island Council, and the municipal stimulation project was designed by the Council in coordination with the town of Agulo and the Autonomous Community. The newly terminated recovery is part of a project called Revitalization of the Municipality of Agulo, which the Town Council has decided to extend throughout the old quarter and which is included in the agreement signed with the Ministry of Culture, Education and Sports of the Canary Government. The chairman states that the house of painter José Aguiar is an old building from the 18th century, located in the street of la Seda near the vicinity of the village church, and emphasizes the importance of this action, which will respect the essential historic values of both the edifice and the culture of the place. He stresses that the museum and the José Aguiar production centre will be filled with the presence of artists, who during periods of three months to one year will share the life with local people. Accordingly, Curbelo trusts that the initiative will allow to consolidate this part of the island as a destination and reference point for visitors to La Gomera. "The ultimate goal, besides preserving our heritage and projecting the significance of this painter for La Gomera and for the whole of the Canaries, is to generate additional economic activity for shops, restaurants and tourist attractions of the place, that will benefit the social life and culture of Agulo and improve the quality of life of the neighbors", he concludes. |