It’s easy to look at the façade of a massive housing complex and forget that there are individual stories inside.

Boa Mistura “Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

From the neighborhood of El Chorrilo in Panama City comes a new face for that kind of building via the work of the five-man Spanish artist collective Boa Mistura. Taking the community aspect of their work to heart, these guys just finished turning a monolithic mass of housing into a vibrant grouping of individual homes, personalizing the scale with a little typography and a lot of color.

The words spelled out on the facade are “Somos Luz” (“We are Light”) and Boa Mistura says, “The message aims to inspire daily – not only the neighbors – but other people who walk by the building every day.”

Boa Mistura “Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

By painting all the hallways, balconies, and landings in an ever-changing abstract color compositions Boa Mistura says they are trying to use participative urban art as a tool for encouragement in run-down communities and a way to work with the local residents in to improve their home environment.

Sponsored by the first Biennial Of The South in Panama 2013 their project is part a series of public works they call “Crossroads”.

Boa Mistura “Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

Boa Mistura “Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

Boa Mistura”Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

Boa Mistura “Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

Boa Mistura “Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

Boa Mistura “Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

Boa Mistura “Somos Luz” (We Are Light). 2013. El Chorrillo, Panama (photo © Boa Mustura)

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