beach, village + urban living in oaxaca november, 2016 issue 62 … · oaxaca is famous. in spite...
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The EyeBeach, Village + Urban Living in OaxacaNovember, 2016 Issue 62FREE
Ceci n’est pas un taco.
Jane
The Eye is a monthly all-English magazine that is distributed throughout the state of
Oaxaca. It can be found for FREE at hotels, restaurants and community hot spots.
Should you wish to receive copies, advertise or
submit some writing or photography please send us an email.
This magazine is made possible by the advertisers so please thank them when you
use their services.
Editor: Jane BauerCopy Editor: Deborah Van Hoewyk
Web Goddess: Erin Vig
Writers: Jane Bauer, Jan Chaiken, Geri Anderson, Marcia Chaiken, Brooke Gazer, Lenore Harder, Leigh Morrow, Carole Reedy, Alvin Starkman
Cover Photo: Jane Bauer
Photography/Art: Various, Marcus Wilkinson, Tom Pined
Distribution: Renee BiernackiAdvertising Assistant: Casilda Mendoza Lopez
Layout: Jane Bauer
Opinions and words are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Eye.
We welcome submissions and input. To get involved send us an email.
Visit Us Onlinewww.TheEyeHuatulco.com
Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask
creative people how they did something, they feel a
little guilty because they didn't really do it, they just
saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a
while. That's because they were able to connect
experiences they've had and synthesize new things.
Steve Jobs
Opposable thumbs and creativity with critical
thought are what separate humans from the
rest of the herd of sentient beings. Our need to
capture, whether in painting, sculpture, music
or with words, what I think of as the 'in-
between' thoughts. The whispers of magic in between trips to
the grocery store and Netflix. When everything slows down and
you notice the subtleties of the way someone walks across the
street and you see the something bigger in that moment -
something universal about what it is to be human.
The painter who notices the color of drying leaves and the way
the wind sways the branches and manages to capture that
movement- making a moment immortal. The musician who
hears a song in the rain - has hearing that can distinguish
notes in the pitter-patter of drops on a tin roof and translate it,
so that those of us without this gift can hear it too. The writer
who explains something you have felt or done but had no way
of describing.
The busyness of the world has made it more difficult; we are
constantly bombarded with images and noises - distractions
that cut through the silence that the mind needs to tap into
those morsels of truth - for it is that creativity that tells the
truth of our collective experience.
I love those late-night dinner-party
discussions about what constitutes art. Is it
for the observer or the creator to define? Does
it need to have a message or can it just be
pretty? Is a message enough to make art? I
remember the controversy surrounding the
National Gallery of Canada's acquisition of
'Voice of Fire' in 1990 for a staggering $1.8
million.
As Steve Jobs said ‘creativity is just connecting things’. I think
as long as we are talking, discussing, analyzing what
something is or isn’t - then it has accomplished the goal of
provoking feeling and dialogue.
See you next month,
RESTAURANT-GRILL
THE PLACE TO BE
RESERVATIONS 587 1157French & International Cuisine
Closed SundayLocated in front of the Binniguenda Hotel
Santa Cruz, Huatulco
The Eye 4
In This IssueBlack Pottery… A Modern Folk ArtBy Brooke GazerPage 6
AquathonBy Lenore HarderPage 7
The Schizophrenia that is OaxacaBy Alvin StarkmanPage 8
El Maestro de Los MonosBy Geri Anderson with photographer/translator Marcus WilkinsonPage 10
My Top 5By Jane Bauer Page 11
Mexico City Culture: Art Is EverywhereBy Carole ReedyPage 12
Wabi Sabi: The Art in Everyday LifeBy Leigh MorrowPage 14
Art and the Mexico City AirportBy Julie EtraPage 15
THE BIG LITERARY AWARDS:Who are these finalists?By Carole ReedyPage 16
Beyond the Artist: The Cult of Frida KahloBy Marcia Chaiken and Jan ChaikenPage 17
EDITORIAL PAGE 3EVENTS CALENDAR PAGE 18In Oaxaca City, The Eye is now available at Amate Books.
www.TheEyeHuatulco.com
Black Pottery… A Modern Folk Art
By Brooke Gazer
If you have been to any Mexican craft market, it is likely that you noticed many examples of Barro Negro (Black Pottery), for which Oaxaca is famous. In spite of its
overwhelming popularity, this is a relatively new medium of Mexican folk art. For over 2000 years, the village of San Bartolo Coyotepec produced very basic utilitarian pottery. These sturdy vessels, which were used to carry water, oil, or mescal, were rustic with a matte grey appearance. In the early 1950's a petite Zapotec woman, named Rosa Real Mateo de Nieto, altered the way her people handled clay, and subsequently the economy of her village. She is now fondly known by the honorific name of Doñs Rosa.
She discovered that by burnishing the nearly dry clay forms with a smooth stone and firing them at a lower temperature, the forms developed a shiny black patina. Since the pieces remain unglazed, they are fired only once, and the lower temperature leaves them fragile, unsuitable as functional ware. With its soft, glossy patina, this folk art soon became appreciated by collectors around the world, and the villagers evolved from producers of utilitarian ware to that of fine craftsmen. As San Bartolo Coyotepec was becoming known for is unique folk art, families began to diversify. They developed different styles and techniques but the shiny black finish remained its cornerstone. One talented family experimented with forming figures. The Pedro Martinez family encouraged their children to copy images found in books. Young Carlomagno showed promise as he crafted Aztec warriors, Mexican soldiers, and clowns. At the age of 18, he enrolled in the Rufino Tamayo Workshop in Oaxaca City, where as a sculptor, he bridged the difficult gap between folk art and fine art. His skill as a gifted young artist won him the Premio Nacional de la Juventud (National Youth Prize). This prestigious award for young people later enabled him to study in the United States. Since then, his work has been prominently displayed in numerous fine art exhibitions across North America and Europe. Returning home, he began teaching the children of his village to create clay figures so that the craft continues both within his family and among other members of this community. The village of San Bartolo produces unique, highly detailed, one-of-a-kind figures, as well as polished slip-cast figures that are turned out in multiples.
While some artisans construct clay figures, the majority of black pottery is still produced in traditional forms created on a potter's wheel. In addition to the smooth shiny patina, artists have experimented with a variety of patterns and textures, often combining them to produce interesting contrasts.
I first learned about black pottery in the late 1970's when I enrolled in a summer workshop featuring a famous American potter who had once studied under Doña Rosa. As we were designing our Bed and Breakfast, I was anxious to incorporate black pottery into our decor. I devised a way to use this folk art as a base for the bedside lamps in our guestrooms. They could have been purchased in Huatulco, or around the Benito Juarez market in Oaxaca City, but I needed to make a pilgrimage to where they were made. San Bartolo Coyotepec is only a ten-minute drive from Oaxaca City, making it an easy excursion.
Stopping at a market along the highway, I explained to a woman in one
of the stalls what I wanted. “Yes I have many pieces like this, but they are not here. I can have them for you here tomorrow”, she tells me. “Thank you but we need to buy them today, tomorrow we are leaving early.” “Would you like to come to my house? I have them there and it is not too far.” This is exactly what I wanted to do! She closed up the store and rode with us down a few streets pointing out which property was hers.
Families commonly run small businesses that produce handicrafts in the gardens of their homes; as a former potter, I was hoping to see the artists at work. In addition to the glossy or textured surface, pieces are commonly decorated by carving holes of various sizes and shapes, creating intricate designs. Motifs may be geometric patterns, flowers, stars, moons, or any combination. When I learned to do this, we used a blunt pencil to painstakingly draw out the entire design before cutting through the leather-hard clay with a sharp tool. I was amazed watching these artists do a piece freehand in just a matter of a few minutes. I chose sixteen carved pieces of various textures. Although they all were carefully wrapped and packed into the trunk of our car, I was nervous about how this fragile cargo would travel, bumping over rough mountain roads. Thankfully they all arrived intact.
Black pottery is lovely but its fragile nature makes it challenging to transport, especially on an airplane. I warn our guests that unless it is a small piece, it will require exceptionally careful packaging. It should be part of your carry- on luggage, but place it under the seat; do not put a large piece of black pottery in the overhead compartment. A fellow traveler is likely to bang their luggage into yours, leaving you with only broken shards and fond memories. Still, if you are able, a piece of black pottery can make a dramatic accent piece and a wonderful reminder of your trip to Oaxaca.
Brooke Gazer operates an ocean view bed and breakfast in Huatulco
www.bbaguaazul.com
The Eye 6
The Eye 7
he 4th Worldwide Aquathon Day will be held on
TNovember 12th, 2016. Rose Hartzenberg from South Africa was inspired to put this event together several years ago. The worldwide event has exploded to include 75 countries and over 175 pools
participating. I thought this was an inspiring and motivating event to get involved with, so I signed up as a host in Huatulco, Mexico! Aquafitness and this annual Aquathon are to inspire and unite participants, and introduce them to the benefits of training and exercising in the water, a natural healing environment adapted to exercising effectively little impact on joints and muscles.
We invite everyone to come participate. We have a photographer to cover the event and look forward to any sponsors, donations and of course, participants! Details of the event are covered in the poster. For further information contact Lenore Harder at . [email protected]
Your hosts for this event are Lenore Harder of Energizer’s and Ruby de Witt of Rudy's Hydro Energy Workout .
Lenore routinely offers classes in the Huatulco area over the winter months mostly to the tourists who settle and call Huatulco their winter home.
Ruby has recently moved to Huatulco and has an impressive history as an aquatic trainer and presenter with a dancing background.
We both have much to share and are excited to be your official hosts for this upcoming Aquathon, the first in Huatulco Mexico!
Please come out and support us November 12th. We will be starting at 8am and have the pool until noon at Hotel Santa Cruz across from Bancomer on the main drag in Santa Cruz. Cost is donation to a local charity. The idea is to go 3 hours. We will have water and snack breaks. The hotel will have fruit/snacks for purchase on site.
See you November 12th for our Big Splash!
AquathonBy Lenore Harder
House Cleaning Services- Contact Us for an Estimate
The Schizophrenia that is OaxacaBy Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.
Oaxaca i s a w o n d e r f u l place to live in and visit. T h e b r o a d
theme of this magazine is to praise all that is great about vacationing and residing both on the coast, and in the state's interior. But it's high time that readers obtain at least a glimpse of the underside, because like all other locales, Oaxaca is not rosy much of the time for many, in particular for full-time residents, whether transplants or native born.
In May of 2006, about 40,000 members of Local 22, the Oaxacan branch of the national teachers' union, went on strike in downtown Oaxaca. A month later, about 10,000 protesters remained and the government attempted to end the strike by force, dropping tear gas from helicopters and allegedly engaging in beatings and rape. This produced a widespread citizen (especially indigenous) protest, and gave birth to the Assemblea Popular de Pueblos de Oaxaca, APPO (The Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca), which united about 350 groups that opposed the government, the governor (Ulises Ruiz) in particular. The protests lasted until November, and 17 people lay dead, 138 were injured, and uncounted numbers were imprisoned or ostensibly “disappeared.” The APPO was severely weakened, but the teachers' union continues to strike.
The 2016 version of the annual Oaxacan teachers’ strike has
impacted not only the state capital and central valleys. This
year it has also affected, in a significant way, other parts of
Oaxaca, including the coastal resorts where most of this
readership either vacations or resides. As much as many in the
beach resort towns would downplay its sequelae, what I write
has application for all, not just those in the city and interior
villages.
Just like the state capital and environs, Puerto Escondido,
Huatulco, and the lesser frequented Oaxacan Pacific beach
locations boast warm and welcoming people of both Spanish
and indigenous descent (and to a much lesser extent French,
African, etc.) At the same time many of us, certainly most who
live in or near the city of Oaxaca, are ashamed and
embarrassed of what our beloved state has at times become,
and of how some residents have become inclined to manifest
their dissatisfaction. The fact is that more frequently than we
ever want to admit, we live in a seemingly un-governable Wild
West.
We have a multiplicity of rich and extremely diverse cultural
traditions, even within the multiple broad ethno-linguistic
groups of pre-Hispanic origin. But alongside and within, there
are those who settle political, personal and familial scores with
a knife, machete, rifle or shotgun. How can it be that in a
quarter century, I have personally known five Oaxacans who
have succumbed to violent deaths?
How can it be that I, a white-haired güero, could be punched in the face by an irate union member (and not even of the teachers’ syndicate)? This is part of the undercurrent to which tourists are thankfully virtually never exposed (and to be sure, never will be). To be clear, to my knowledge vacationers are never targeted, or injured except when deliberately putting themselves in harm's way.
Those on the coast enjoy the pristine beaches, the 300+ days of sunshine per year, the international surfing competition, the multitude of festivals, the coffee plantations, the nature preserves, the fishing, the tropical fruit, and the list goes on. For those of us inland, while lacking the ocean and its appurtenances, together with the hot and humid tropical climate, we have all the rest, and more; umpteen craft villages, a plethora of archaeological sites, cuisine unrivalled elsewhere in Mexico, a strong artistic tradition manifest in workshops accessible to the public as well as in excess of 50 galleries, and of course there is mezcal production, unrivalled elsewhere in the country. But there is indeed a dark side, from which as suggested above, almost all visitors (and to my thinking regretfully some expat residents) remain insulated. Beginning in the second half of 2006, and continuing to date, a subtle malaise has been permeating the lives and psyches of many Oaxacans. It ebbs and flows, but nevertheless persists. And it impacts even those who do not rely on the economic well-being of the state for their existence. We feel it. Even snowbirds are aware of it. If not, then they are deaf and blind, and ought to get out more, listen to the people and look beyond their faces, deeply into their eyes.
Nail SalonHands & Feet
Tel: 958 581 0025www.ecoyspa.com
Discover Peace and Traquility The Eye 8
We have Oaxacan-born friends who have contemplated leaving
the city, state and country in favor of a more tranquil life
abroad. Some have indeed done so. And we also have friends
who, since the 2006 shift in ambiance of the core of the capital,
are now loathe to drive downtown except when absolutely
necessary. Their children have departed the state and country,
but it's much more difficult to make such a major move when
you're in your fifties or sixties. Many businesses in the central
historic district, especially restaurants, have either relocated
to the tranquility of the suburbs, or opened second branches
away from downtown, recognizing that residents are not as
amenable as before to enjoying a weekend evening on the
zócalo.
On the one hand, it's the strength of the teachers’ and other
unions, as well as the government not enforcing statutory
limits to constitutionally entrenched rights, and on the other
hand, it's the media (American in particular) and international
state departments (American in particular) which both
exaggerate and misstate what is really happening here on the
ground. It's no secret that statewide transportation networks
were adversely impacted this past summer. But to warn
travelers about the potential for violence against them? Please!
It just isn't so, except of course for the word “potential,” which
applies to every visitor to Toronto, New York, LA, Chicago,
London, Sydney and everywhere else.
We lament the lack of tourism occasioned by media and foreign governments. Oaxaca relies on it for its very existence. It is Americans who feed the craft villages much more so than Canadian, European, Asian and Mexican national visitors.
But there is a silver lining: We do not have, nor have we ever
had, significant cartel issues and associated violence. Oaxaca
remains magical. It has the potential to rekindle and return is
former glory. Though schizophrenic, the good drastically
outweighs the bad … if only governments and media would tell
it like it really is. Oaxaca admits it has issues, but stresses that
they should not adversely impact tourism.
Alvin Starkman operates Mezcal Educational Excursions of Oaxaca
www.alvinstarkman.com
MezcalEducational Excursions of Oaxaca TM/MR
While in the state capital, learn about this century's
most coveted spirit by spending a day with recognized
authority Alvin Starkman. Visit rural artisanal
distilleries (palenques) using both ancestral clay pot
and traditional copper stills. For novices and
aficionados alike. Sample throughout your excursion
with no obligation to buy.
The Eye 10
El Maestro de Los MonosBy Geri Anderson with photographer/translator Marcus Wilkinson
f you've ever wandered through Oaxaca City’s Jalatlaco
Ineighborhood to the corner of Niños Heroes de Chapultepec and Calle Aldama, you've probably noticed José Octavio Azcona y Juárez, Mexico's foremost monero (puppet maker) working in his shop, creating monos de
calendas (huge dancing puppets). Until retirement three years ago, he might have been changing a tire on a semi-trailer truck right there on the Pan American highway! That was his life's work for 30 years, that AND making monos, which are sometimes called gigantes because they truly are gigantic creations.
The sign on his rented workshop says “Espacio de la Cultura,” and monos certainly are part of Oaxaca's culture. Two huge laurel trees between the street and sidewalk provide shade. “When I planted them, they were this big,” José recalls, “holding up his little finger.” Often, under the trees there are monos waiting for their buyers to pick them up. It's a great photo op for tourists and visitors. One day in the shade of the two towering laurels stood Lila Downs and Paul Cohen in full wedding attire. José had created a recognizable likeness in the monos for the boda of this famous couple, she a multi-lingual award-winning singer, he a talented saxophonist. José says he spent twenty days creating the bride and groom.
If not representing famous people, politicians or TV personalities, José's images just spill out of his head and onto his fingers which create the papier-maché heads. He paints the faces, sews the clothes and uses yarn or raffia for hair.
“Every mono is different, every mono is special,” he says. “Every one of them has a place in my heart.”
He began making gigantes at a young age, when for a fiesta in a village he wanted to dance inside a mono, but no one would loan him one, so he made his own. Then he got an order to make one, then another. Today he creates monos for people throughout Mexico and the United States. He points to a tall, blue-eyed blonde dressed in bright yellow decorated with bits of colored lace. She is Judit from Veracruz, towering in the back of his shop, above some others. He doesn't rent the puppets and prices depende. There's a different price for someone pobre than for someone rico, he explains.
While watching a parade led by the gigantes, you can't help but smile, even laugh out loud as they dance and flap their huge arms, sometimes hitting a too-close bystander.
José says, “What I like most is that the dancing monos make people smile—Mexicans, foreigners and children. Every smile that is given is food for my soul. Enjoying the monos is completely democratic. The happiness goes to all, it does not matter about your economic position or religion. Oaxaca is always in a state of fiesta. When someone is born, there is a lot of music, also when someone dies. And in between the two, we dance and enjoy life.”
No one knows for sure the origin of the gigantes. There is no archeological evidence that they are a pre-Hispanic tradition. They date only to the colonial period. Although the humorous humanoids have migrated to other parts of Mexico and even to the United States, they definitely originated in Oaxaca. José suspects the first ones were created by workers on the haciendas. Customarily the hacienda owners didn't live there all the time, and for comic relief the indigenous “slaves” made giant puppets that mocked their bosses. The tall, light skinned, blonde-haired Espanolas no doubt seemed as funny and odd looking to the short workers as the over-sized puppets look to us.
The large, flopping arms (jammed with pillow stuffing) may have mimicked the awkwardness of the rich Spanish conquerors who were not skilled craftsmen, nor adept cooks or housekeepers. They had servants, after all.
Today, José's monos make people happy. Seeing children and adults alike smiling at his creation is “food for my soul,” he says. Forming the funny puppets is fun for him. His papier-maché facial features might resemble famous people, TV personalities, politicians or cartoon characters. Others just spill out of his head and onto his fingers which paint the face and sew the clothing.
He buys taffeta and other shiny material by the meter and stitches skirts and shirts on an old Singer sewing machine tucked away in a corner of his workshop. The costumes are not Prada perfect, but mismatched designs in bright, contrasting colors. The colorful clothing covers a skeleton fashioned from carrizo, a native reed similar to bamboo, but lighter. The razor-sharp edges of the slender stalks must be covered with cloth to prevent injury to the carrier/dancer.
The Eye 11
There are peepholes at the waistline for the puppeteers, strong young men because the monos measure 10 to 12 feet high and weigh 10 kilos or more. The dancers must carry them for hours. “Spectators don't notice them,” José explains. “They are too busy laughing.”
Years ago, José traded his house for a Harley Davidson and a Trans Am convertible. He drives them “only on Saturdays and Sundays when there's less traffic.” He has rented his workshop space for decades, and sometimes you can see and smell a pot of guisado bubbling on a one-burner hot plate.
José admits he is self-taught and has no educational credentials or diplomas. He says, “Mi diploma es mi corazon” (My diploma is my heart). His heart and his talent has been recognized by the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, where three of his monos de calendas are on permanent display. He also has an exhibit in the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca. There, the larger-than-life man and woman have the detailed facial features for which José Octavio Azcona is known, but they are dressed in traditional trajes (clothing). The exhibit is elegant, dignified, not floppy and funny.
Even when on deadline fulfilling customers' orders, José always has time to talk with his gaggle of friends--a seemingly endless parade of folks pass by his workshop. When I asked him how much time he had for this interview, he replied: “Todo la vida” (all my life). He loves to talk to people about his monos almost as much as he loves to make them.
During our interview, he stopped talking for a few minutes and rushed to the sidewalk to embrace a woman dressed in an elegantly embroidered royal purple blouse. After they reminisced and caught up on news of each other's lives, she walked away. Pepe, as his friends call him, explained that she was born and raised in Oaxaca, but was now just visiting because she married a Frenchman and lives in France.
A father of three and grandfather of five, José especially thrives on the smiles of children and tells the story of an autistic, non-talking child who will talk to the puppets. He makes lighter weight ones for children as young as five or six years old. “I figure if I get them interested when young, they'll continue to have interest as an adult and the custom will continue. Folks remember their first mono.”For more info, including a video interview by Marcus:
www.mexicancorrido.com
click on “Monos de calenda” in the 'M-Z' portion of the index.
Marina Chahue, Huatulco
Tel. 958 105 1671Cel. 958 100 7339Closed Mondays
www.cafejuanitamexico.com
My Top 5By Jane Bauer
Huatulco
1. Eggs Benedict at Las ParotasThe restaurant at the Las Parotas Golf Course is a delightful choice for breakfast; picturesque, delicious, affordable and open to the public.
2. Iced Coffee at Casa Mayor KioskThis is the best spot in town to sit and people watch while sipping the quality coffee that this region is known for. Also check out their full restaurant on the other corner of the square and beach location in Puerto Escondido.
Zipolite
3.Sunset drinks at El AlquemistaOne of the most stunning laid back beaches to chill out.
Puerto Escondido
4.Beet Salad at EspadinThe view overlooking Carrizalillo Bay is reason enough to visit Espadin, but their beet and jicama salad makes it a must!
Oaxaca City
5.Croissants at Boulenc BakeryI cannot say enough about the magic coming out of this bakery. Check out the full review on my blog:
www.janebauer.wordpress.com
Frida’sFish Taco Food Truck
Contact Us to book your Frida’s Fiesta!
Cel: 958 100 7339
The Eye 12
Mexico City Culture: Art Is Everywhere
By Carole Reedy
rt surrounds us, coming straight from the heart
Aand transmitted via various media to all our senses. However, art in the form of painting or sculpture is the literal art to which we refer in this short exploration of art in the city.
“Art Is Everywhere” implies that you need not necessarily visit a museum to see it or pay to enjoy it. Here in Mexico City, where housing prices are the highest in the country, art museums are relatively inexpensive and are often free to students and the over-60s. All museums are gratis on Sundays, but during the week they remain among the most reasonable in the world.
Let's compare the full-price entry of the most popular and prestigious museums in the world:
Ÿ Art Institute of Chicago: General Admission $25 USD (465
Mexican pesos). Reduced fees apply for seniors and
children.
Ÿ ·Metropolitan Museum of Art New York: Same as Chicago.
Ÿ ·Louvre in Paris: 15 Euros (just over 300 Mexican pesos).
Ÿ ·National Gallery London: Free to all.
Ÿ ·Prado Madrid: 15 Euros (just over 300 Mexican pesos)
with various times for free admission, though online
commenters report that the museum is packed during
those hours. If it's within your budget, pay in order to
fully enjoy the experience.
Ÿ ·El Museo de Arte Moderno Mexico City (a personal
favorite): 60 Mexican pesos (about $3.24 USD)
Ÿ ·El Museo Nacional del Arte Mexico City: 60 pesos (about
$3.24 USD)
The most expensive art museum in Mexico City is the Blue House of Frida Kahlo in Coyoacán, which costs 80 pesos, or just a little over $4.30 USD. And the Luis Barragán house (unlike the nonprofit Kahlo house, this is a private endeavor) charges 200 pesos (somewhat over $10.75), but that includes an intense two-hour tour.
As you can see, the price of the art experience is much more palatable in Mexico City than in other capital cities. But, in addition, as the theme of this article implies, there are innumerable places to absorb art at no cost. You'll run across much of this art while “flaneuring” through the city. Here are a few places where your walk or ride will be distracted by art. REFORMA AVENUE (between the Museo Nacional de Antropología and the Auditorio Nacional) on the south side of the street. Giant photo displays decorate the gates around Chapultepec Park on Reforma Avenue all months of the year. The themes vary greatly and have included photos of famous entertainers, particular states of the republic and their outstanding features, foreign countries and their cultures, the foods of Mexico, and the environment. Whatever your preference, your leisurely stroll down Reforma will be enhanced by the beauty on display. All photos are visible from the Turibus that passes Reforma on the Centro Historico route.
LA ROMITA This is a lovely discovery. Tucked literally into a corner of the bustling Roma colonia lie a few blocks that are fondly known as La Romita, a place actually inhabited by the S p a n i s h a f t e r t h e y conquered Tenochtitlán (seat of the Aztec empire, now called Mexico City). It's called La Romita because the tree-lined streets reminded the inhabitants of Rome. The area was untouched when investors came in to develop the colonia years later because the long-time residents kept to themselves and didn't become involved with the new style of living. There is a little main plaza, surrounded by disheveled streets, that in 2013 was awarded Pueblos originario status, the designation given to areas or groups of people with prehispanic roots within the city limits. Take time to enjoy the small plaza, church, and shops, as well as the amazing murals that adorn the sides of buildings, making it all bright and a bit modern.
M E T R O S T O P S T h e underground metro stops are often dark, dank, and depressing, but the city tries to spiff them up with artwork a n d c r e a t i v e c u l t u r a l sculptures. My favorite is the mural at the metro stop Auditorio, just outside the Auditorio Nacional, our palace for music. Cartoonist Jorge Flores Manjarrez created the grand mural “Un Viaje por el Rock and Roll,” an acrylic mosaic over wood depicting grand legends including Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Kiss, the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Madonna. Manjarrez's work has appeared in newspapers and magazines such as Playboy, Rolling Stone, and La Jornada, among many others. Don't miss this blast from the past!
METRO STATION PINO SUAREZ Worth special mention because it houses the smallest but most visited pyramid in Mexico. The prehispanic monument Ehécatl is admired each year by 54 million people, 21 times more than the famous pyramids at Teotihuacán. This metro station is one of the three most traveled stations of the 175 in our system. Every day, 150,000 to 200,000 people pass by the beloved pyramid that was discovered here between 1968 and 1970.
There are many more murals that due to space can't be described in this article. During your next ride on the metro, be sure to look up from your feet at the murals that decorate the station.
SCULPTURESculpture abounds in the city. Walk the center median on Reforma Avenue from Juarez to the Auditorio and you'll pass a sculpture on every corner and the spaces in between. Often there are special exhibits that spill over onto the sidewalks. Recently, the walkways of Reforma housed a collection of giant guitars, painted in every style imaginable. There's always a surprise. Last time I walked there was a display of giant alebrejes, those huge fantasy-driven animals of bright colors and designs whose style comes from Oaxaca. Near Oaxaca City, you can visit San Martín Tilcajete, the village where they originated and are still crafted. Of course, in front of every government and cultural building, you'll find more sculpture. I must add that the sculpture in Buenos Aires tops Mexico's, but in size only.
TWO WORTHWHILE MUSEUM VISITSLet me close with two recommendations of temporary exhibits, the first of which is an all-inclusive exhibit of the art of Remedios Varo. It is complete with paintings and sketches as well as comprehensive biographical data. A must for surrealist fans. At the Museo del Arte Moderno in Chapultepec Park on Reforma Avenue until February.
The other is a collection of works from the National Museum of Art in China, titled China no es como la pintan (China is not as it is painted), at the Antiguo Colegio de San Ildefonso in Centro Historico, at Justo Sierra 16, until February 19.
Wherever you roam, there is art. Enjoy!
Wabi Sabi: The Art in Everyday LifeBy Leigh Morrow
Stand ing on the polished marble floors of the Louvre o n P a r i s ' s
R i g h t B a n k , I w a s gobsmacked by the sheer size and scale of t h i s w o r l d - c l a s s collection of art.
My eyes soaked in the armless beauty of the Venus de Milo, stood close enough to see the fine visible brush strokes of the Old Masters, and could almost hear the music playing as Louis XV entered his palace, wearing the bejeweled crown displayed in front of me. The 70,000 pieces of the Louvre's immense collection are considered the finest art collection on the planet.Yet "art" is everywhere if you desire it.
It is the humble beauty of our everyday lives. Simplicity, rustic elegance, imperfection are all elements to perceive art, or beauty, in a wabi-sabi world. Wabi-sabi is a perspective that was coined in Japan, a philosophy that helps us find beauty, not as magnificent or as grand as that found in the Louvre, but rather a concept that is in direct contrast to our Western ideals of beauty. Wabi-sabi is an art form that appreciates the ingenious integrity of natural objects and the serenity that comes with age. It is the wisdom in natural simplicity, and the training to find fascination in the most basic and natural objects, like falling autumn leaves.
Wabi-sabi is perhaps the perfect antidote to my Western upbringing, which teaches value in perfection, symmetry, grandeur, and things that stand the test of time, including us, as media and advertising unrelentingly repeat.
You won't find wabi-sabi in botox, glass-and-steel skyscrapers, smart phones, or the drive for relentless self-improvement. It's a beauty hidden right in front of our eyes, an aesthetic of simplicity that reveals itself only when animated through the daily work of living.
Broadly, wabi-sabi is everything that today's sleek, mass-produced, technology-saturated culture isn't. It's flea markets, not shopping malls; aged wood, not swank floor coverings; one single morning glory, not a dozen red roses. Wabi-sabi understands the tender, raw beauty of a gray December landscape and the aching elegance of an abandoned building or shed. It celebrates cracks and crevices and rot and all the other marks that time and weather and use leave behind. To discover Wabi-sabi is to see the singular beauty in something that may first look decrepit and ugly.
Wabi-sabi reminds us that we are all transient beings on this planet—that our bodies, as well as the material world around us, are in the process of returning to dust. Nature's cycles of growth, decay, and erosion are embodied in frayed edges, rust, liver spots. Through wabi-sabi, we learn to embrace both the glory and the melancholy found in these marks of passing time.
Bringing wabi-sabi into your life doesn't require money, training, or special skills. It does take a mind quiet enough to appreciate muted beauty, courage not to fear bareness, willingness to accept things as they are—without ornamentation. It depends on the ability to slow down, to shift the balance from doing to being, to appreciating rather than perfecting.
You might ignite your appreciation of wabi-sabi with a single item from the back of a closet: a chipped vase, a faded piece of cloth. Look deeply for the minute details that give it character; explore it with your hands. You don't have to understand why you're drawn to it, but you do have to accept it as it is.
Rough textures, minimally processed goods, natural materials, and subtle hues are all wabi-sabi. Consider the musty-oily scene that lingers around an ancient wooden bowl, the mystery behind a tarnished goblet. This patina draws us with a power that the shine of the new doesn't possess. Our universal longing for wisdom, for genuineness, for shared history manifests in these things. Wabi-sabi is the often overlooked art that truly beautifies our everyday lives.
Leigh Morrow is a Vancouver writer who owns and operates Casa Mihale, a vacation rental in the quaint
ocean-front community of San Agustinillo.To view and rent her two bedroom property, visit:
www.gosanagustinillo.com
The Eye 15
Art and the Mexico City Airport By Julie Etra
In the December 2015 issue of The Eye , I wrote about the design of the new airport i n M e x i c o C i t y
(https://theeyehuatulco.com/2015/12/07/plans-for-mexico-citys-new-
airport). It is now under construction, close to the existing Benito Juarez International Airport. According to El Informador, the new airport is about 3% complete, and should be fully operational by 2020.
When discussing art as part of the project, there is no way to really separate art from architecture or engineering, as the project in its entirety will be an artistic work that incorporates the most prominent symbols of Mexico in its very design: the golden eagle (aguila real) with one foot resting on a flowering opuntia (nopal) cactus pad while holding a snake in the talons of the other foot, emblematic of the national flag. A cactus garden and entrance will receive arriving passengers and the walkway will be built with materials that represent the snake. The roof of the entrance to the terminal building is meant to evoke the eagle with its wings spread in flight.
The airport design is led by two global firms, Foster + Partners of Britain and FR-EE (Fernando Romero Enterprises) of Mexico; renowned architect Norman Foster points out that "This design is pioneering a new concept for the expansion of an airport, to meet new levels of efficiency and flexibility, it will be beautiful. The passenger experience will be unique. Its design will offer the most flexible approach possible to accommodate internal changes and an increase in capacity. Mexico really has taken the initiative to invest in its domestic airport, understanding their economic and social importance, and planning for the future. There will be nothing else like it in the world."
The new airport will serve twenty-one airlines, with open circulation, one level, and 96 gates. Grading is almost done, with construction of the foundation scheduled for the end of March 2017, one of seven critical phases. Grading is in itself a challenge on the shrink-swell soils of the former Lake Texcoco. Construction of the control tower and runways 2, 3, and 6 will begin in late April 2017, following
completion of the access roads. A contract with railroad and terminal operator Ferrovalle will allow for construction of rail service and connections for commercial goods and supplies, which will follow the tower and runway work. Ultimately there will be six runways. Security standards, set by the Association of International Air Transport (IATA) in addition to the Army, will include video surveillance systems, lasers, and movement sensors. Engineering is obviously state of the art; the airport ostensibly will be the first carbon neutral facility outside of Europe. Design is very site specific, taking into account soils, access, etc. and although construction appears simple it is very sophisticated using lightweight material and special glues to accommodate the large expanses of the dome exterior. It is engineered to withstand an 8.0 earthquake. As a LEED-certified and sustainable facility, heating and cooling will be minimized due to the mild climate and ambient temperature in Mexico City throughout most of the year, as well as the open circulation intrinsic to the design. Water will be100% recycled.
You can see the art and design of the new Mexico City airport by
going to . https://vimeo.com/147686009
The Eye 16
THE BIG LITERARY AWARDS:Who are these finalists?
By Carole Reedy
Stunned and surprise were the first feelings I had after reading the list of novels that are short-listed for the Man Booker Prize and the National Book Award this year. I didn't recognize one name. At first I thought 'Mmmmm, a bunch of young
whippersnappers.' But, no, to my surprise most are middle-aged with a cache of published books to their credit.
We may have a taste of just who they are because earlier this year another unknown, Lisa McInerney, won two big literary awards for her The Glorious Heresies, a novel that got rave reviews from the prestigious newspaper The Guardian, as well as other critics.
Here are the short lists for these two prizes: The National Book Award winner will be announced on November 16. The Man Booker prize was awarded on October 25, and went to Paul Beatty for The Sellout.
Finalists for National Book Award Fiction:The Throwback Special by Chris BachelderNews of the World by Paulette JilesThe Association of Small Bombs by Karan MahajanThe Underground Railroad by Colson WhiteheadAnother Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
Man Booker Prize Finalists The Sellout by Paul BeattyHot Milk by Deborah LevyHis Bloody Project by Graeme Macrae BurnetEileen by Ottessa MoshfeghAll That Man Is by David SzalayDo Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien
So, after researching a bit, I found out more about this list of unknown-to-me but-obviously-dedicated writers. They are novelists, short-story writers, memoirists, playwrights, poets, authors of children's books, men and women equally. Some, such as Deborah Levy, appear to write in all genres, others just in one: the novel. One sings in a choir and manages a small ranch in Texas, another is an e-book pioneer and a contributor the prestigious McSweeney's Quarterly Concern.
The most impressive writing career seems to be that of 47-year-old Co l son Wh i t ehead . He has published five novels as well as a commentary on life in Manhattan. A graduate of Harvard University, Whitehead went on to write for The Village Voice and to teach at Princeton University, among several other colleges. He writes a column on language for The New York Times. The Underground Railroad was named by President Obama as one of five books on his summer vacation reading list. Whitehead has won and been a finalist for many literary awards including the Pulitzer, Los Angeles Times and PEN/Faulkner awards. In 2002, he was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship.
Another of these, David Szalay, writer of All That Man Is, is the focus of one of those delightfully long book reviews by James Woods in the October 10, 2016, issue of The New Yorker magazine. Woods says ' “All that Man Is” takes the novel from and shakes out of it a few essential seeds. It tells not one long story by nine shortish tales.' Woods concludes by saying 'After several hundred pages of great brilliance and brutal simplicity, here at last is a deeper picture of all that man is, or all that he might be.' I can't think of a higher compliment to a writer.
The biggest honor of the year: By this time everyone knows that Bob Dylan won the NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE 2016. We b a b y b o o m e r s a r e thrilled, having known for years the poetry of Dylan. For those who have their doubts, here is an excerpt from The Economist that addresses just that:
‘Giving a prize that is usually reserved for writers of literature to a world-renowned musician might seem as daft and gimmicky as awarding Barack Obama the Nobel Peace prize less than a year into his presidency. But not all past recipients of the literary award have been famed for writing novels, plays or poems. Winston Churchill collected it in 1953 “for his mastery of historical and biographical description as well as for brilliant oratory in defending exalted human values. Philosophers Bertrand Russell and Henri Bergson are both on the list of laureates. Indeed, Mr Dylan isn't even the first songwriter to win. Rabindranath Tagore, whose creative output included thousands of Bengali songs, was chosen in 1913 for his “sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse.”’
The Eye 17
Beyond the Artist: The Cult of Frida Kahlo
By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken
Frida Kahlo never shied away from publicity. Well before her death at age 47 in 1954
she was well known in Mexico City for her flamboyant style of dress, her tumultuous marriages to Diego Rivera, and her open affairs with both women and men of note, including Leon Trotsky. However, she currently has an international iconic status that did not start to blossom until almost 30 years after she died.
In the 1980s, Kahlo's life was publicized through several media. Her romanticized biography, written by Hayden Herrera and published in 1983, became a global sensation and launched the world-wide Frida cult. The Mexican film Frida, Naturaleza Vida (Frida, Still Life) released the same year, , also achieved international recognition and helped make Frida a household name.
Since 1983, and continuing up to today, numerous other books, films, stage plays, and operas presented her tempestuous life and stimulated great interest in her paintings. Major exhibitions of her works, over 50 of which are self-portraits, have taken place in the best known museums in cities throughout the Americas and Europe. Thanks to online digital “tours” of some of these exhibitions, people can re-create the experience of attending, years after the exhibitions have closed. Frida's face – as she portrayed herself – is instantly recognized by millions of people.
Casa Azul, the house where Frida was born, spent the last fourteen years of her life, and died is a pilgrimage destination for hundreds of thousands of Kahlo devotees and becomes a highlight of their trip to Mexico. Kahlo's husband, Diego Rivera, donated the house to the government of Mexico in 1958 with the proviso that the homestead be maintained as it was when she died and used as a museum to display her art works. As the cult of Kahlo grew so did the number of visitors to the site in Coyoacán, a part of Mexico City. Today Casa Azul is one of the most visited tourist sites in Mexico City. Over 5000 TripAdvisor reviewers have ranked the museum as seventh in the list of best things to do in Mexico.
Frida's posthumous fame has inspired a whole commercial industry devoted to capitalizing on her clothes and appearance. We ourselves bought into this cult by acquiring a shopping bag which has a huge picture of Frida's face on the front. A guest gave us an orange lacquered box with Frida's portrait that is being used to hold earrings. Other items that can be purchased with Frida portraits are virtually limitless and include purses, pins, earrings, fans, headbands, posters, magnets, pillows, stickers, and, of course, t-shirts.
In addition to articles with portraits of Frida, whole lines of
clothing in the styles worn by and represented in her paintings
are available to Kahlo fans. Black satin Tehuana dresses sell
for over $1000 (US), although less expensive models are also
available. And enough Frida-like earrings and necklaces have
been produced to sink a battleship.
Almost every major exhibition of Kahlo's paintings has been
accompanied by sales of reproductions of her art. Millions of
homes have posters, coasters, and other forms of her
paintings. And although three decades have passed since the
inception of the Kahlo cult, the exhibitions of her painting and
shows featuring photos of Kahlo, and more recently photos of
her clothes, are still very popular.
Who benefits from all these sales and
shows? Well, definitely not the Kahlo
family. They have expressed dismay
at not benefitting from Frida's fame.
Taking a cue from so many others who
have cashed in on the Frida cult, the
family announced in 2005 that they
were going to start a boutique tequila
factory with bottles bearing the
famous face priced at $90. Frida's
grandniece pointed out to a reporter
from the LA Times that the business was appropriate since
Frida was known to drink a lot of tequila. The factory appears
to have become a going concern – but given the current
strength of the dollar over the peso, a bottle can now be
purchased for about $60 US.
The past decade has witnessed an ongoing interest in and
reverence of Kahlo, along with sudden appearances of formerly
undisclosed artifacts, including paintings. The art world has
been rocked with battles over whether or not these new
findings are treasures or forgeries. But whatever the answer,
the publicity has helped assure that the cult of Frida Kahlo
remains undiminished.
CalendarOaxaca City Recurring Events:AA Meetings (English)Daily - Monday and Thursday - 7 pm Also Saturday at 1 pm - All 12 step groups welcome.518 Colon
Religious ServicesHoly Trinity Anglican Episcopal Church Sundays 11 am Crespo 211 (between Morelos and Matamoros)Liturgy followed by coffee hour. Information 951-514-3799
Religious Society of Quaker Friends Meeting, Saturdays 10 am FreeAll are welcome. For more information and location, contact [email protected]
Weekly MarketsEtla Market, Every WednesdayTlacolula Market, Every Sunday
BikingOaxaca is More Beautiful on a Bicycle, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday - 9 to 10:30 pm Free, Meet in front of Santo Domingo ChurchRental bicycles available at Mundo Ceiba, Quintana Roo 2011You must bring a passport or Oaxacan credentials. They have tandems, too!
DanzónEvery Wednesday - 6:30 pm FreeAlcalá and ConstituciónA tradition imported from Cuba, the danzón is a stately dance with syncopation. The citizens of Oaxaca gather weekly to dance and watch the dancers.
Ethnobotanical Garden Tours in EnglishWeekly - Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - 11 am $100 pesosEntrance Reforma and Constitutión.
BridgeTuesday Bridge Game at Oaxaca Lending Library, Pino Suarez 519, $20 pesos, no partner necessary, starting at 1:00PM
Garden ClubMonthly - 1st Wednesday FreeThe Oaxaca Garden Club is dedicated to: learning, sharing and education about gardening, agriculture and nature, primarily in Oaxaca. It is achieved by regular meetings, field trips, outreach to the community and by parties. To receive the monthly notices of activities, send an email to [email protected]
HikingWeekly - Tuesday & Friday 9 am - November thru March Minimal cost for transportationOaxaca Lending Library- Pino Suárez 519Hoofing It In Oaxaca ( is a program of http://www.hoofingitinoaxaca.com/)weekly hikes for adventurous gringos who hanker to explore this part of Mexico on foot. Individual outings fall into three categories: rambles through the open countryside in the Valles Centrales; visits to archeological sites in the area; and more vigorous hikes in the mountains surrounding Oaxaca City.The Oaxaca Lending Library is the rendezvous point for all of the weekly hikes. All information and a full schedule of hikes is on the Hoofing In Oaxaca website. Reservations required.
Tour to Teotitlán del ValleWeekly - Thursday and Saturday - 9 to 5 pm $750 pesosInstituto Cultural OaxacaTravel, Learn, Fight Poverty. Fundación En Via (http://www.envia.org/) is a non-profit microfinance is a non-profit microfinance organization providing tours to communities around Oaxaca where participants visit women in need of small loans to improve their lives. 100% of the tour fees are given to the entrepreneurs as an interest-free micro loan. Instituto Cultural OaxacaAv. Benito Juárez 909
Full MoonNovember 14th
All Saints DayNovember 1st
RemembranceDay (Canada/US) November 11th
Revolution DayNovember 20th
All Souls DayNovember 2nd
Thanksgiving (US)November 24th
On the Coast Recurring Events:AA Meetings:English AA Huatulco, 7:30pm Remax Plaza, Every WednesdayEnglish AA 6pm, Puerto Escondido Cafecito Rinconada, Every ThursdayEnglish Al-Anon 4:30pm, Puerto Escondido Cafecito Rinconada, Every Saturday
Weekly MarketsPochutla Market- Every Monday
November
Saturday November 5thHuatulco’s Organic Market Santa Cruz 8am-2pm
Saturday November 12thSunset Social at 9 BahiasSee page 14
Saturday November 19thHuatulco’s Organic Market Santa Cruz 8am-2pm
Saturday November 19thSunset Social at 9 BahiasSee page 14
Sunday November 27thEncuentro de Cocineros - Local cooks gather with sample dishes to raise money for local charities. 2pm Santa Cruz 100 pesos
The Eye 18
Contact us to Advertise!
Contactanos para Anunciarse!
www.huatulco-catering.com
Chiles&ChocolateCooking ClassesHuatulco, Oaxaca
Tel. 958 105 1671 Cel. 958 100 7339
The best way to learn about a culture is through its food.
Chiles&Chocolate Cooking Classes offer a delicious culinary and cultural experience that explore a variety of Southern Mexican cuisine. Our hands-on classes ensure you will leave prepared to recreate the dishes when you get home.
· Small Groups· Hands-on· Instruction in English· Recipe Manual · Free Gift Bag· Lunch and Drinks Included· All classes start at 9:30am · Transportation Included
Cost: $85 USD per personCooking Classes are 3-4 hoursZimatan, Huatulco
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
TUESDAY- By the Sea-Ceviche-Oven Roasted Shrimp Seasoned-Baja-style Fish Tacos-Shrimp Mousse-Michelada with Clamato
WEDNESDAY- Mama’s Kitchen-Black Mole- This is the most exquisite and complicated Mexican salsa. -Yellow Mole-served with Rice and Chicken-Mezcal Margarita
THURSDAY-Fiesta- Perfect recipes for your next party!-Poblano and Nopales Emapanadas- Jicama Salad-Beef Tamales in Corn Husk-Rum Horchata
FRIDAY- Street Food- A great intro to Mexican Food.-Salsas-Handmade Tortillas-2 types of soft tacos fillings-Sopes-Tlayudas-Jamaica Margaritas
