The Three Wise Monkeys…
Well, maybe not monkeys! From the Día de Muertos altar “Transitions” by Estudio Dinamo at Voces de Copal Galeria.
Archive for the ‘Creativity’ Category
Words of wisdom
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, ceramic sculptures, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, Estudio Dinamo, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photos, Three Wise Monkeys, Voces de Copal Galeria on December 15, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Guadalupe of the streets
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, Virgen de Guadalupe, Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Today, Mexico celebrates the Queen of Mexico, Empress of America, and patron saint of Mexico — Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe. Alas, due to Covid-19, all is quiet on the western front.
However, no matter the day, Guadalupe is always present on the streets of Oaxaca. But, for goodness sake, please don’t leave her your garbage!
Mostly muted for Juquila
Posted in Celebrations, Churches, Creativity, Culture, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged Capilla de la Virgen de Juquila, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, processions, Virgen de Juquila, Virgin of Juquila on December 8, 2020| 2 Comments »
Save for yesterday’s 5:00 AM jarring explosion of cohetes (rockets — all bang, no bling) and clanging church bells coming from the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Soledad heralding the start of the celebrations for the Virgen de Juquila, the last thirty-two hours have been mostly muted, with only the occasional chiming bells and bursting cohetes — very quiet by Oaxaca standards.
Due to Covid-19 concerns, in consultation with Oaxaca’s health department, the archbishop of Oaxaca cancelled holy processions through the streets and called upon the faithful to forego pilgrimmages. This is especially sad for Santa Catarina Juquila, where Juquila’s shrine is located, as just last week it was announced the town had been designated a Mexican Pueblo Mágico. The archbishop also ordered churches closed, with masses to be celebrated and broadcast from behind locked doors during December’s festivities honoring the Virgen de Juquila (December 8), the Virgen de Guadalupe (December 12), and the Virgen de La Soledad (December 18).
Now if only other people and places would take this pandemic as seriously.
Jardín Conzatti fauna
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Parks & Plazas, Travel & Tourism, tagged decorated utility boxes, Jardín Conzatti, Mexico, Oaxaca, paintings, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art on December 5, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Real and imagined, fauna are alive and well in the city.
Hummingbirds, squirrels, and butterflies live, play, and love among the trees, dogs, humans, and on a utility box in Jardín Conzatti.
I love juxtaposition
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged backpacks, cars, juxtaposition, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, quotations, stencils, street art, urban art, wall art on December 1, 2020| 8 Comments »
I’m always trying to find ‘connections’ between things. That art is the juxtaposition of a lot of things that seem unrelated but add up to something recognizable. –Pat Metheny
The taste for quotations (and for the juxtaposition of incongruous quotations) is a Surrealist taste. –Susan Sontag
I get the same charge from juxtaposition of colors as I do from juxtaposition of chords. –Joni Mitchell
Creativity is that marvelous capacity to grasp mutually distinct realities and draw a spark from their juxtaposition. –Max Ernst
I love the juxtaposition of a sweet little blouse with a motocross look. –Melissa McCarthy
Cities are about juxtaposition. In Florence, classical buildings sit against medieval buildings. It’s that contrast we like. –Richard Rogers
Theme going on
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Politics, Travel & Tourism, tagged Cartoon Trump, graffiti, photos, stencils, street art, urban art, wall art on November 20, 2020| 2 Comments »
The walls of Oaxaca have a theme going on…
I think they have been watching too much “el norte” news!
Day of the Dead ofrendas
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrendas, photos on November 13, 2020| 17 Comments »
Living and being in Oaxaca during the Días de los Muertos is hard to put into words. There is so much to experience and to think about. It is the ofrendas that touch me the most — they are all so personal, even those on display to the public. And, one of the unexpected delights of tracking down the chairs of the Silla Calavera project, was to see the Day of the Dead ofrendas constructed by the hotels and restaurants also displaying the chairs.
Sensory overload challenges the limits of heart and mind and, especially this year, my emotions ran the gamut from extreme exhilaration to quiet joy to being moved to tears.
To women everywhere
Posted in Creativity, Culture, tagged aprons, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, Santa Ana del Valle, stencil art, street art, strong women, urban art, wall art, women, Zapotec women on November 10, 2020| 2 Comments »
The stencil, seen on Sunday’s walk along Av. José María Morelos, may be of women from San Miguel del Valle, but the words speak to women everywhere.
We are the struggles won by our ancestors.
Sitting pretty in a Silla Calavera
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, artisans, calaveras, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, exhibitions, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, skulls on November 5, 2020| 31 Comments »
In my effort to “step away” from the US election news, I went in search of the fourteen chairs of the “Silla Calavera” project scattered throughout restaurants and hotels in the city — a creative and calorie-burning distraction!
The project arose as an idea to spread the traditions of Oaxaca through artistic creations using an object of daily life — a comforting and comfortable seat, where each artist, through their creativity and respect for the dead, exposes the face of a skull.
Unfortunately, this next chair had been disassembled by the time I arrived, but here, in two parts, the back and the seat.
The artisans, I think with great success, sought to capture and share their roots, customs, and traditions.
Yesterday, the chairs were removed from the restaurants and hotels. Tonight, with an inaugural celebration, they went on display at ARIPO until November 15, 2020. For purchase after that date, contact Matlacihua Arte or individual artists.
Skeletons, catrinas & catrines for Leo
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged calacas, Catrinas, Catrines, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, skeletons, skulls on November 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »
For my skeleton loving grandson, the 2020 skeletons, catrinas, and catrines hanging around Oaxaca.
Seen on the sidewalks, businesses, and balconies of Oaxaca on November 1 and 2 — during these days we welcome and celebrate with our departed.
Hearts and flowers of Muertos
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Holidays, Travel & Tourism, tagged artists taking action, catrina Juchiteca, cempasúchil, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, hearts, marigolds, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos, plastic recycling, recycling bins, recycling hearts, skulls, urban art on November 1, 2020| 2 Comments »
Even the recycling bins in Oaxaca are getting into the spirit of Day of the Dead.
And cempasúchil (marigolds) to beckon the difuntos (departed), plastic bottles, and tin cans.
Invitation to my departed
Posted in Casita Colibrí, Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged altars, calaveritas, Catrinas, cempasuchil, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, flowers, incense, marigolds, Mexico, Oaxaca, ofrenda, papel picado, photos on October 30, 2020| 8 Comments »
These are strange days leading up to our departed coming to call while we are living in the time of Covid-19. With public activities canceled, thus no nightly calendas (parades) filling the streets and our ears, and fewer tourists, Oaxaca is experiencing more peace and tranquility this Day of the Dead season — albeit laced with a touch of melancholy and anxiety.
Masked and shielded, I braved the mostly local crowds south of the zócalo, to shop for cempasuchil (marigolds), cresta de gallo (cockscomb), apples, mandarin oranges, peanuts and pecans, chocolate, and pan de muertos (Day of the Dead bread) — but it wasn’t nearly as much fun as years past.
However, the joy returned when I unwrapped photographs of my parents, grandparents, and other loved ones; selected some of their favorite things to put on my ofrenda; placed the fruit, nuts, bread, and chocolate among the photos; positioned candles, flowers, and incense; and poured my departed a copita (little cup) of water and another of mezcal — all to beckon, entertain, and sustain them during their brief stay.
I’m looking forward to a more personal and reflective Día de Muertos this year.
Marigolds for Muertos
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Flora, Travel & Tourism, tagged cempasúchil, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, marigolds, photos on October 26, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Cempasúchil (marigolds), the flowers synonymous with Day of the Dead, have begun appearing throughout the city. Alas, not in the quantity we are used to.
As I have written previously, because of the acceleration of the Covid-19 cases, the City of Oaxaca will not permit public Day of the Dead celebrations and events.
So it’s a subdued Día de Muertos season we are living.
While the yellows and oranges of the marigolds seem to mirror the semáforo amarillo and naranja (yellow and orange Covid-19 traffic lights) we are bouncing between, they brighten the days and impart a familiar and welcome scent.
Vicariously dancing
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, China Oaxaqueña dancer, Chinas Oaxaqueñas, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, Danza de la Pluma dancer, Huautla de Jiménez dancer, Mazapán (dog), Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, Uriel Barragán Bouler, wall art on October 16, 2020| Leave a Comment »
More dancing on the walls of Barrio de Jalatlaco from the artist Bouler (Uriel Barragán).
Living vicariously in these days of COVID-19 — be it through books, online concerts and museum tours, video events, and photos of people and places we are longing to see.
Oaxaca regrets…
Posted in Celebrations, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged Catrín, Catrinas, coronavirus fallout, COVID-19 fallout, Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos, Día de Muertos, Mexico, Oaxaca, photos on October 11, 2020| 14 Comments »
To borrow a line from Cole Porter, Oaxaca regrets there will be no Muertos this year, señora.
Due to a rebound in positive Covid-19 cases in both the capital and state (we are back in traffic light orange — with red threatening), yesterday the city council of Oaxaca unanimously voted to cancel all Day of the Dead activities (NVI Noticias). That means there will be no comparsas (parades), altar displays, sand paintings, costume contests, and no cemetery visits. Other municipalities are expected to follow suit. If you have plans to be here for Día de Muertos, I strongly urge you to reconsider.
Given this sad and sobering news and the above Catrín and Catrina seen on this morning’s walk, I keep flashing on the Cole Porter song, Miss Otis Regrets — especially this dirge-like version by Kristy MacColl.
This is serious and no time to let your guard down. Please practice social distancing, wash your hands frequently, and for goodness sake, cover your mouth AND nose with a mask when out in public!!!
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This work by spixl is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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