The green quarry of the basilica in Oaxaca is cleaned of graffiti

The perimeter walls and the atrial wall of the Basilica of Our Lady of Soledad, patron saint of Oaxaca, once again show off the characteristic green of its quarry after 10 months of work to dignify this space, where the religious and the civic are articulated, given its access to the Socrates Garden, in the Historic Center of the city, reported the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

Between five and seven layers of paint were removed, in an area of ​​approximately 400 square meters, with the exterior facing Independence Avenue being the most affected by the vandalization.

The restorer Liliana Domínguez Guzmán and the architect Lya Donají Jiménez Ortega explained that for the first time laser technology was applied to address this type of damage to properties with historical value in the state. The procedure allowed the controlled removal of the graffiti without direct effects on the stone material.

In a statement, the INAH detailed that the project was managed and supervised by the specialist of the conservation and restoration section of the INAH Oaxaca Center, Fanny Magaña Nieto, while the intervention was in charge of the company IG Restauración y Arquitectura, which considered and adopted restoration principles and criteria at each stage.

The procedure consisted of several steps: the first two consisted of coarse and fine cleaning of the vinyl paint layers. Taking into account their chemical characteristics, solvents were used to later remove them with a scalpel, plastic card brushes and pressurized steam equipment.

Finally, edging was done on the most deteriorated stones and a sacrificial layer was applied, composed of lime and sand. This mortar was designed to be resistant to abrasion and, at the same time, easily removed and changed when necessary.

The atrial fence, so called because it delimits the atrium – a large space in front of the temple where catechism was previously taught in the open air – currently serves as a passage that connects the sacred with everyday life.