"CHOLETS" BY FREDDY MAMANI

It is in El Alto, cradle of the emerging bourgeoisie of Bolivia, that we can observe the cholets (contraction of "chalet" and " cholo", pejorative term to indicate the Bolivians of indigenous origin) of the crazy architect Freddy Mamani Silvestre. The latter could not stand the bland and identical constructions of his city, so he decided to design buildings with shimmering colors and geometric patterns inspired by his Aymara roots. The result is reminiscent of paintings done under the influence of hallucinogens, in a style very close to the multicolored paintings of Roberto Mamani Mamani. More than seventy of his psychedelic and, let's face it, rather kitschy creations are now scattered throughout El Alto. They reflect a proud and assertive Aymara identity, characterized by the gradual emergence of new middle classes sensitive to their artistic and cultural heritage. The buildings all share a similar layout: the first floor houses a commercial space while the second floor hosts a ballroom or party room. The upper levels are occupied by apartments. Typically, the contractor lives in the top house and rents out the lower floors. And if the work of the artist alteño is celebrated everywhere in Europe, it passes however unnoticed in Bolivia. No one is a prophet in his own country... All these buildings have a unique identity, a neo-Andine architecture that did not escape the Fondation Cartier who had made the poster of one of its exhibitions in 2018. In addition, we recommend watching Cholet : The Work of Freddy Mamani (with French subtitles), an excellent documentary film by Brazilian director Isaac Niemand, which sheds light on the social, political and economic context of these atypical buildings, and addresses the theme of reclaiming identity through art.

Getting there. El Alto is not a very safe city for tourists, so it is best to hire a guide to go and see the cholets. Some agencies in La Paz can offer this tour on request, and it can be interesting to combine it with a visit to street art. The agencies HanaqPacha and Red Cap Walking Tour both organize this half-day tour, offered in English or Spanish. Please note: El Alto is located at an altitude of more than 4,150 meters, so be sure to acclimatize yourself before embarking on such a walk.