The city of San Luís Potosí  is living a process of transformation that started more than two years ago by the initiative of the state government with the objective of rescuing the historical buildings,  the memory and the identity of the city and its people through the application of light. This project is the Lighting Master Plan which has been developed by  Lighteam Gustavo Avilés, S.C.

The Lighting Master Plan has generated an important impact in the life of the community. The recuperation has consisted in the implementation of new signpost, new initiatives for the relocation of informal commerce, new actions of reforestation in parks and gardens, and even, a security and protection program for the citizen and for the historical patrimony.  The city of San Luís Potosí has witnessed the spirit that has helped the development of tourism and commerce.

To celebrate the inauguration of the second and third stage of the Lighting Master Plan, the Secretary of Tourism of the state organized the first "Fiesta de Luz" in Latino America, which took place from the 16^th of December 2007, to the  5 of January  2008. 

The celebration began the same night of the inauguration when the lights of Plaza de Armas, one of the most important plazas of the historical downtown, went off.  The governor of the state, Marcelo de los Santos Fraga, gave the indication for the lights to be turned on again, and then is when the buildings and the faces of the expectators were illuminated again.

The Government´s Palace, el Palacio Municipal and the Cathedral appeared between the darkness at the same time that the guitars of the music band began to play. The governor and all the attendants started the inauguration walk  which ended with a big party of color in Plaza del Carmen.

As a special guest of Lighteam Gustavo Avilés, S.C,  "La Fiesta de la Luz" had the projection of the artist Xavier de Richemont, who worked with the facade of the Templo del Carmen as a canvas, painting the building with light and motivating the understanding of its history through  simple interpretation.

The secretary of tourism of San Luís Potosí, Patricia E. Véliz Alemán,presented the visual artist  Xavier de Richemont in a press conference.

Mrs. Véliz Alemán explained that architect Gustavo Avilés, who runs the Lighting Master Plan, was the responsable of introducing Richemont to her and the result of this friendship  was the project of "La Fiesta de Luz" in the state of  San Luís Potosí.

Xavier de Richemont has done several projects in cities like Chartres, France; Toronto, Canada and Eindhoven, The Netherlands. "I was fascinated by the  city of San Luis Potosi because of its beautiful architecture, people and culture" said the French artist.  

The effort that meant this project consisted in an extensive research about the prehispanic and colonial symbolism . Richemont clarified.

Richemont described the selection of images as a mixture of Spanish, Huichol and Huastec inspiration.  "My interpretation is concentrated in eleven minutes of images. The music is a collage of barroc armonies, arab, sacred and traditional Mexican music". 

The artist explained that the tecnique that was used for the projection is similar to the one used in the movies. The first step is to take pictures of the place where the projection is planned to be done and the measurements of the architectural details. After the creative process, the information is codified in a film. The machines that are used for the projection consist in two gas lamps that reach between 100 and 160 amperes of intensity.  

At the end of the press conference, Xavier de Richemont  said that it had been  a real pleasure to work in our country and Mrs. Véliz Alemánsaid in advance that the "Fiesta de Luz " is planned to be a traditional  celebration in the state of  San Luís Potosí.  

During this days, the Museum of the Virreinato, in Plaza del Carmen, presented an exposition of graphic designs and pictures of the work of Xavier de Richemont.

On November 2008, San Luis Potosí will host the delegations of the cities recogniced as  the most important light cities from all around the World for the Annual General Meeting of LUCI (Lighting Urban Community Internacional) and the City.People.Light Awards. The city of San Luis Potosi won this award in the year 2006 for being the third most important e thirdplace  evento en el cual, en el 2006 la ciudad de SLP ganó tercer lugar mundial por su Plan Maestro de Iluminación.

More expectations are set for the time the Lighting Master Plan of San Luis Potosí will be finally completed. It has been very important for the development of the project that the state government has assumed the control of it. The results of the project had benefit to all the city habitants and to all its visitors.

Nowadays the city of San Luís Potosí is recognized as an international referent in urban patrimonial lighting.  

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