Argentine artist reflects drought in giant murals

This artist is raising awareness about drought in Argentina

Location: San Nicolas de los Arroyos, Argentina

Martin Ron's giant murals depict the Parana River

which is at its lowest level in almost 80 years

due to a lack of rainfall upriver in Brazil

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MURALIST, MARTIN RON, SAYING:"When I came to San Nicolas I was struck by the historic low level of the Parana River. Coincidentally I had been working on a series of murals where the reflections are the protagonists. I also painted children with balloons. These characters that I use always interact with an aspect of the place where I paint and it seemed appropriate to portray this ecological message related to the decline of the Parana."

The river carries some 80% of Argentina's farm exports

and is key to the country's economic wellbeing

But low levels have seen ships forced to take on smaller loads