Posted in Culture, Gardens, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged graffiti, jacaranda, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Primavera, Spring, street art, trees, urban art on February 28, 2014| 4 Comments »
I’m still in recovery and catching-up mode and a nagging cold (caught in el norte) hasn’t helped. While I’ve only ventured out of Casita Colibrí a few times, I’m loving being back in the land of color.
And, after my recent sojourn to points north, where Mother Nature is a drama queen when it comes to seasons, I’m savoring one of the subtle signs of spring in Oaxaca.
The jacarandas are beginning to bloom.
Purple haze all in my eyes…
Excuse me while I kiss the sky!
Posted in Creativity, Economics, Politics, Protests, tagged Enrique Peña Nieto, graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, oil industry, PEMEX, petroleum industry, photographs, photos, protests, street art, urban art on February 20, 2014| 24 Comments »
Monday’s headline from the Huffington Post read, “Enrique Peña Nieto’s TIME Cover Sparks Outrage In Mexico.” The Time Magazine cover (to be published February 24, 2014) shows an imperious looking Peña Nieto, with the bold-face headline, “Saving Mexico.” Judging from personal conversations, numerous articles, and marches throughout the country, that is definitely not the way most Mexicans see their president.
Elected in 2012, Peña Nieto has proposed sweeping reforms, including a previously mentioned education package modeled after the disastrous US, “No Child Left Behind Act.” These unpopular reforms have citizens marching in the streets and calling for Peña Nieto’s head. One of the reforms that Mexicans find most egregious is the proposal to open Mexico’s state-run oil industry, PEMEX, to foreign investment. This is one that strikes at the heart of Mexican pride.
A little background: In 1938, in support of oil workers striking against foreign-owned oil companies, Mexico’s president, Lázaro Cárdenas, citing the 27th article of the 1917 constitution, expropriated the Mexican facilities of the United States and Anglo–Dutch oil companies, nationalized the oil reserves, and created the state-owned Petróleos Mexicanos (aka, PEMEX). Mexico now owned and controlled this valuable resource.
Back to the present: According to the Huffington Post article, “The energy bill, however, faced massive protests when it passed through Congress in December. Demonstrators shouted ‘The homeland is not for sale!‘ as officials voted to allow private companies to exploit oil and gas reserves in the country, according to the Associated Press.”
In true Oaxacan fashion, marches have been held and banners, posters, and murals have gone up throughout the city to express the outrage and indignation felt by a majority of Mexicans at what they see as an attempt by the Peña Nieto government to sell-off their patrimony.
Of course, as the Time Magazine article illustrates, the US is applauding Peña Nieto and the actions of his ruling party.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, Gorilla Gallery, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, urban art, Yescka on January 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Urban artist, Yescka, at work on December 20, 2013 at Gorilla Gallery in Oaxaca…
Live action painting from the back of the glass, a devilish Virgen de Guadalupe emerges…
From the back and from the front, La Virgen is finished.
Yescka then turned to one of the gallery’s windows; outside looking in and inside looking out.
Like street art, these works are not forever. In a month (or so), the virgin will be disappeared and another artist will come to Gorilla Gallery to create another ephemeral masterpiece.
Gorilla Gallery is at Crespo 213 and is open on Thursdays, from 2:00 – 8:0 PM.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged arts, graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, urban art on January 3, 2014| 4 Comments »
In 2014, don’t…
or do, what feels good.
(In Oaxaca, on Berriozábal at the corner of Reforma.)
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, street art, urban art, Winter Solstice on December 21, 2013| 2 Comments »
It may be the Winter Solstice, but here in Oaxaca my doors and windows are already open and I’m looking at a clear blue sky and an 85° F temperature forecast. Ahhh…
This is about as close as we get to Old Man Winter…
Mural on a wall along Niños Heroes, Oaxaca
Happy Winter Solstice to all in the northern latitudes and happy Summer Solstice to those south of the equator.
Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged Barrio de Jalatlaco, Consolamentum, Jason Pfohl, Matria Jardín Arterapéutico, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, Taj Mahal, Take a Giant Step lyrics, urban art on December 10, 2013| 2 Comments »
The walls of Oaxaca remind me of words sung by Taj Mahal…
Excerpt from mural in Jalatlaco on Callejón de Hidalgo at Aldama
From Consolamentum installation by Jason Pfohl at Matria Arterapéutico.
Remember the feeling as a child
When you woke up and morning smiled
It’s time, it’s time, it’s time you felt like that again
There is just no percentage in remembering the past
It’s time you learned to live again and love at last
Come with me, leave your yesterday, your yesterday behind
And take a giant step outside your mind
Listen to Taj Mahal’s version of Take a Giant Step by Gerry Goffin and Carole King.
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, urban art on December 4, 2013| 4 Comments »
Are you willing
to stick your neck out?
Currently sticking her neck out on Matamoros, between Tinoco y Palacios and Crespo.
Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, Mexico, Oaxaca, painters, photographs, photos, street art, urban art on November 25, 2013| 5 Comments »
A neighbor and I were standing on the upper terrace of our apartment complex, watching the guys paint the dome of Iglesia de San José (a future blog post), when I looked to the south… Hmmm, I’d never noticed the art on the side of that tall yellow building — and neither had she. I whipped out my little Lumix and took this photo at 12:25 PM.
At 12:26 PM, I was about to take a second shot when the guy, his staff, and the little church at his feet, began climbing up the side of the building. Whoa!!!
By 12:27 PM, they were gone…
At 4:02, while composing this blog post, I got up from my desk to take a look at the building again — trying to figure out where exactly this banana yellow 3+ story building is located. Imagine my surprise when I saw the guy and his staff back on the side of the building AND his twin on the far right.
What the @#$% ??? Unable to curb my curiosity, I took off in search of my on/off/on again friend. At 4:34 PM, walking south on Tinoco y Palacios (which becomes, J. P. García), I found him at 308 J. P. García (almost to Las Casas), hanging out above Veana (one of my “go to” shops for kitchen ware).
At 4:35 PM, from across the street, I stood on the sidewalk gazing up at this reappearing painting on the side of the building. ¡Un milagro!
At 4:36 PM, I still don’t understand… What was it we saw earlier today? A stencil? Artists, can you enlighten me? All I can say is, I am VERY glad this painter is fastened to a harness. Of course, I’m hoping it’s not just being hand-held by the two guys on top of the building!
People often ask, “What do you DO all day?” This is as good an answer as I can come up with!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged graffiti, In the Shape of a Heart, Jackson Browne lyrics, love, Mexico, Oaxaca, photo, photography, street art, urban art, wall art on September 22, 2013| 2 Comments »
Ahh, young love… On the walls of Oaxaca, among the extraordinary art and pithy political statements, there are declarations of love.
People speak of love don’t know what they’re thinking of
Wait around for the one who fits just like a glove
Speak in terms of belief and belonging
Try to fit some name to their longing
People speak of love
— In the Shape of a Heart by Jackson Browne
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Museums, Science & Nature, Travel & Tourism, tagged arts, Hecho en Oaxaca, MACO, Mexico, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, trees, urban art, William Blake quote on September 7, 2013| 4 Comments »
More from the Hecho en Oaxaca exhibit…
The courtyard at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO)…
Art is the tree of life. — William Blake
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, graffiti, Jorel, Mexico, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, Rhu Crew, street art, urban art, wall art on September 4, 2013| 2 Comments »
Work in progress on Tinoco y Palacios by Jorel and the Rhu Crew…
Up close and personal…
All finished!
Posted in Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Museums, Music, Travel & Tourism, tagged arts, Hecho en Oaxaca, MACO, Mexico, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, street art, urban art, Waiting On The World To Change lyrics on August 21, 2013| 2 Comments »
Another wall, courtesy of the Hecho en Oaxaca urban art project of the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (MACO). It reminds me of the John Mayer song,
Waiting on the World To Change
Me and all my friends
We’re all misunderstood
They say we stand for nothing and
There’s no way we ever could
Now we see everything that’s going wrong
With the world and those who lead it
We just feel like we don’t have the means
To rise above and beat it
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
It’s hard to beat the system
When we’re standing at a distance
So we keep waiting
Waiting on the world to change
Now if we had the power
To bring our neighbors home from war
They would have never missed a Christmas
No more ribbons on their door
And when you trust your television
What you get is what you got
Cause when they own the information, oh
They can bend it all they want
That’s why we’re waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
It’s not that we don’t care,
We just know that the fight ain’t fair
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
And we’re still waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting waiting on the world to change
One day our generation
Is gonna rule the population
So we keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
We keep on waiting
Waiting on the world to change
~~~
But, then again, maybe he’s waiting to join the struggle to make the change…
Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Exhibitions, Travel & Tourism, tagged art, Dr Lakra, exhibitions, Hecho en Oaxaca, MACO, Mexico, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca, Museum of Contemporary of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Retna, Saner, street art, Swoon, urban art, wall art, Yescka on July 18, 2013| 4 Comments »
Oaxaca is alive with street art these days — even more than usual and that’s saying a lot! As part of their Hecho en Oaxaca (Made in Oaxaca) exhibition, the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Oaxaca (Museum of Contemporary Art of Oaxaca) invited a dozen well-known and accomplished urban artists to transform the walls of the museum and the Historic District of the city.
A lifetime ago, prior to becoming a librarian, I was a registered nurse, first working in a hospital and then as a visiting nurse. The current MACO exhibit reminded me of one of the primary reasons why I much preferred the latter — it was the creativity needed in creating treatment plans to provide care in a patient’s often-times challenging home environment.
The imagination and inventiveness required to create art on crumbling walls with windows, doors, meters, and electrical boxes, never ceases to amaze me. As you can see below, even in MACO, that same vision is evident in the use of the museum’s many rooms and courtyards — including incorporating doorways, window sills, and colonial era frescos.
If you love Oaxaca’s street art, get yourself to MACO. The exhibition runs through the first week of October 2013.
Posted in Animals, Creativity, Culture, Science & Nature, tagged Chiapas, Colibríes, hummingbird, Mexico, NASA photo, photo, photographs, popular travel destinations, San Cristóbal de las Casas, street art, The Hummingbird Galaxy, urban art, wall art on July 15, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Colibríes? I can’t resist!
Hummingbird from a wall in San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas…
Hummingbird from a NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope photo…
Separated at birth? Cool article from Slate about this photo…
By Phil Plait
I was pondering writing a longish post about the picture above, talking about what galaxies are, how they can physically collide, how their gravity can twist and distort their shapes into all sorts of weird things …
But seriously. That galaxy looks like a hummingbird.* What more do you need?
OK, you need a little more. For one, I’ve written quite a bit about how galaxy collisions happen, so you can read about how these work here and here. The two galaxies in this collision are called NGC 2936 (the blue birdie one) and NGC 2937 (the smaller cottonball one). Together they are known as Arp 142, named for an astronomer who observed weird, distorted galaxy pairs.They’re located about 300 million light-years from Earth.
Two things really stand out to me in this picture (besides a galaxy that looks like a flippin’ hummingbird). One is the long, delicate tendril of dark reddish dust exhumed from the previously spiral-shaped galaxy NGC 2936, flung into a long arc across tens of thousands of light-years of space. I wish we had more three-dimensional data here; I’d love to know what this structure really looks like from different angles. Since dust is very dark, it blocks light coming from behind it, so this tendril is in front of the hummingbird galaxy, or perhaps embedded in it.
The other thing is that the smaller galaxy seems to have survived this collision pretty well. The shape is only mildly distorted; you can see a bit of off-centered nature to the glow of stars around the core. I suspect its more compact nature has a lot to do with that; the stars are closer together, perhaps, and the overall gravity of all those stars helped it retain its shape.
And there is one other thing. These are two very different galaxies colliding! The ex-spiral galaxy is very blue, indicating lots of star formation happened recently. Young, massive stars are blue, and when galaxies collide, the gravitational interaction can cause huge clouds of gas to collapse and furiously form stars.
The other galaxy is yellower, indicating an older, more stable population—blue stars don’t live long, so a galaxy this color must not have formed stars in a long, long time. Billions of years, for sure. You can tell by looking that it doesn’t have much gas and dust in it, which fits; if it had, the collision would have stirred them up, and we’d see more blue stars there as well.
Note too that you can see a handful of far more distant galaxies in the picture. The ones to the lower right are red, which is most likely due to having their light absorbed and reddened by the dust in the hummingbird galaxy; that’s another thing interstellar dust does, much like dust and haze in the air can make a sunset look red.
All in all, there’s a lot going on in this image! The hummingbird shape makes me smile, and don’t get me wrong, it’s cool. But what you’re seeing here is far more than just a shape in the clouds; you are seeing a massive collision on a cosmic scale, the collective might of 100 billion suns, their gravity reaching out and twisting the shapes of these galaxies, stretching them like taffy, molding them like clay.
The Universe operates on the grandest of all scales, manipulating forces and energies far too large for us to grasp in our puny brains. Yet when it does so, it generates beauty and perhaps even amusement in those same brains. It helps us appreciate it and gives us another reason to want to. And, after a while, we really can begin to grasp what the Universe is telling us.
Maybe our brains aren’t so puny after all.
*Some folks say it looks like a penguin. I can see that, but it’s silly. I mean, c’mon, a galaxy shaped like a penguin? Ridiculous.
h/t Chris
Posted in Buildings, Creativity, Culture, Transportation, Travel & Tourism, Weather, tagged graffiti, Mexico, murals, Oaxaca, photographs, photos, popular travel destinations, rainy season, street art, urban art on July 7, 2013| 3 Comments »
Ahhh… I’m back in my new and improved Casita Colibrí. Friday night, with lightning flashing all around the Embraer, my fellow passengers and I bounced our way across Mexico and back to Oaxaca. Gracias, Hurricane Erick for Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride! With appreciation and relief, spontaneous applause erupted when the little plane landed.
There have been many changes in the 7 weeks I’d been gone… Juan finished the screens on my doors and windows; they are beautifully made and not a single mosquito has been seen or heard! I left at the end of the dry season; golden-brown hills and fields and a constant coating of dust dulled nature’s and human-applied colors. I returned to the lush green hills and fields of the rainy season and the lustrous green leaves and red-orange blossoms of my African tulip trees.
And, new street art gleamed…
Oaxaca in technicolor!
Mexican Peso Converter
View From Casita Colibrí 