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geri

Mar 6, 2007, 5:30 PM

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Oaxaca Update

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It seems as if Oaxaquenos are making up for lost time. Maybe it's my imagination, but there seem to be more festivities here in Oaxaca City than ever. I ran into four different musical groups walking from my house to the zocalo the other night. There is also an International Dance Festival in progress with performances in Parque Llano and the Botanical Garden. Most are free. Tourists are here, but not in as great numbers, which is okay with me (selfish person that I am!)

A "must see" is the Graffiti exhibit at IAGO, Toledo's Graphic Arts Museum across from Santo Domingo Church. No matter where you stand politically, this is bound to stir emotions.

APPO is still alive, but it's difficult to tell how much strength/following it has. While some people find it easy to take sides, I have a hard time sorting it all out. All my Mexican friends, also, tell me it's very complicated, so it's not totally my thick skull. The injustices go back centuries, of course, and are ingrained. However, life here is getting better for many folks, hence APPOs failure to rally large "revolutionary" numbers. That, plus the increased police presence.

I love the energy and creativity of people in this city. I can be as involved and active, and as laid back and private as I like.

NinaNina

Mar 6, 2007, 8:04 PM

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Re: [geri] Oaxaca Update

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Thanks for posting this! My family is down to 5 months until our big move to Oaxaca.

We just saw a fantastic show of Oaxacan street art up here in Portland, as a benefit for some Oaxacan groups. They were stunning and astonishing, sort of reminiscent of the stark, woodcut-like stuff I saw in San Cristobal after the Zapatista uprising. There were a lot of pieces inspired by Posada, but with contemporary political subject matter.

There is also a great duo of artists very successful in L.A. and San Francisco, known as The Date Farmers. They were in Oaxaca during the protests, and incorporated a lot of the grafitti and street art into their incredible paintings and mixed media pieces. You can see some of their art here:

http://www.newimageartgallery.com/datefarmers.html

sfmacaws

Mar 6, 2007, 10:34 PM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca Update

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It's true, you can call anything art. That is the most derivative, phony junk I've seen in a long time. Hey, you too can pay money to see a "faux shoe store...featuring shrink-wrapped, hand crafted cardboard sneakers and shoes, reminiscent of a true Mexican “Zapateria”." Or, such joy, watch "a film about their late-night soccer games, graffiti binges, and drunken escapades in Mexico’s renowned folk art capital." The rest of their stuff is really lame as well.

¡Qué Naco!

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

geri

Mar 7, 2007, 6:05 AM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca Update

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NinaNina, thanks for sharing. It astounds me how the uprising in Oaxaca has triggered emotions in the U.S. I wish it were as simple as the rich (powerful) against the poor (oppressed) but it really isn't, as you will learn when you move here.

Art arouses all kinds of opinions. There are all kinds of art in Oaxaca and as much debate. Maybe an artist has to be dead for a few centuries for it to be "officially" declared art? Didn't the renaissance artists take a beating during their time, died in poverty, etc.? Anyway, you will love Oaxaca. So much variety here. Easy to find your niche, whether its photography, art, dance, writing. Everything except protests...those are off limits to foreigners.

Bubba

Mar 7, 2007, 7:23 AM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca Update

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There is also a great duo of artists very successful in L.A. and San Francisco, known as The Date Farmers. They were in Oaxaca during the protests, and incorporated a lot of the grafitti and street art into their incredible paintings and mixed media pieces. You can see some of their art here:

Thank you NinaNina. I enjoyed browsing the Date Farmers exhibit. My friend Jonna has a difficult time reconciling her nihilism with her profound sense of order but Bubba labors under no such constraints. I´m planning to paint my new home in San Cristóbal in neutral colors to attract graffiti artists whose political bent is less relevant than their talent.

NinaNina

Mar 7, 2007, 7:38 AM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca Update

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Thanks for the comments of all varieties! I was thrilled by the Date Farmers, I must admit, and perhaps part of it was due to their Chicano/L.A. background, more punk-rocky than folk-arty. Their part of the low brow art movement and were the cover story on the latest issue of Juxtapoz magazine. From what I understand, they actually have a migrant farmworker background, picking dates, hence their nickname.

Gringal

Mar 7, 2007, 8:09 AM

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca Update

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As a chronic subscriber to ART NEWS, I am not easily excited. Same old, same old search for the new, the surprising and if possible, the shocking.
Or, as an artist/teacher friend put it: "I don't know what I like, but I know art".

Why not paint your walls shocking colors to blend with the anticipated graffiti? On the other hand, this may discourage the artistic impulse. Our house is painted startling yellow, and the graffiti-wielding locals have ignored it for over two years. Our white-walled neighbors have been "decorated".

geri

Mar 7, 2007, 8:34 AM

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca Update

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Hey Bubba, GREAT idea. Please take some photos of some of the graffiti that shows up and share with us!!
Here is how one person painted his house in my neighborhood last Sept. I'll see if I can download.

Attachments:

IMG_0013.JPG (72.5 KB)

NinaNina

Mar 7, 2007, 11:00 AM

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Re: [Gringal] Oaxaca Update

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Great points, Gringal! I'd say I'm the opposite of a jaded art collector, with my tastes running more to Raw Vision than Art News. Just to stir up some more controversy, I'll post the link to a great visionary show I just saw at the American Folk Art Museum. The artist, Ramirez, was an immigrant from Mexico who was institutionalized in California and, as the curator said, "could never get back home."

http://www.folkartmuseum.org/default.asp?id=1805

sfmacaws

Mar 7, 2007, 1:04 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Oaxaca Update

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I see 'art' in a real Mexican zapateria, some of them are incredible. I don't see anything but greed in a fake zapateria built in LA where there are plenty of real ones but the patrons of these shows wouldn't have the guts to go where they are. As to watching a bunch of drunk losers carouse in Mexico, why not just search for Spring Break on YouTube.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Gringal

Mar 7, 2007, 1:06 PM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca Update

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How can one be a "jaded art collector"? If you collect art at all, you are impassioned about it. "Jaded" implies that nothing excites or pleases you.

My artist friend was making a joke. He knew exactly what he liked, and knew art, too.

I like the dead crazy visionary's work. How about crazy Californians who get stuck in Mexico and can't get home? Do they get points for that? How much importance should be given to the artist's background in relation to what he/she produces? Any? When does "outsider" art go too far inside? When does graffiti become more than just wall scrawl?

I'm afraid that on this suject, it is all subjective. What may "speak" to one person falls on deaf ears for another.

NinaNina

Mar 7, 2007, 3:37 PM

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Re: [Gringal] Oaxaca Update

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I suppose I took your comments "I'm not easily excited" and "same old search" as sounding jaded about new art. And I agree that zapaterias--both the real ones and the constructed ones--make for a thought-provoking discussion about art.

My favorite Oaxacan (and elsewhere) zapaterias 10 years ago were the ones called ALIEN. The shoes had alien faces on them and left a bizarre footprint, presumably to provoke those who believe in alien abductions. I always wondered if the name was a play on the term "illegal aliens". In any case, my elementary school students loved them.

bunny

Mar 7, 2007, 6:21 PM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca Update

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If I had the tech savvy, I might start a new website called MexConnect: Gen2. Sometimes the goober factor on this site seems like a wonderful font of wisdom, sometimes it's hilarious, and sometimes it makes me feel like taking an overdose of . . . well, name your poison . . .

But you try too hard, comadre. You've been here before, you should know better :)

Gretchen

Gringal

Mar 8, 2007, 7:01 AM

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Re: [bunny] Oaxaca Update

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Please share with us what you mean by the "goober factor" .

Is there some point at which a human being is reduced to a "goober" (once known as a bodily discharge small chldren enjoy messing with)?

By dint of occupying space on the planet long enough, Gen 2 will be trashed by Gen 3, 4, 5 and so on. The next group up to bat will be as big on contempt and as short on understanding as the last one.

NinaNina stepped out there and presented her opinion in an articulate and civilized manner. IMHO, That is commendable, whether anyone agreed with her or not. I hope she never "knows better".

NinaNina

Mar 8, 2007, 9:01 AM

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Re: [bunny] Oaxaca Update

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Hola, Bunny--que milagro!

I did it again, didn't I? Ah, well. There's the Mexican dicho: "Everyone is free to make a kite from their pants"--I seem to excel at that... But sometimes vale la pena to let your freak flag fly!

And so I don't derail this thread off topic anymore, a quick question about some Oaxacan art: Are they doing those nighttime processionals these days, which I think were called "calendas"? And what about the beautiful sidewalk art with colored chalk or sand (I think I only saw that around Day of the Dead)? And, finally, are the lovely nieve stands still populating the square by La Soledad? Oh, sorry, one more: Are they still doing the late night dance shows in Plaza Independencia (I think it was called)? That's where I first had a pineapple chucked at me. Que sorpresa!

Gringal

Mar 8, 2007, 10:29 AM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca Update

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Keep the freak flag flying. It is easier to throw tomatoes from the sidelines than to put your views out there.

The problem with discussing "art" is that everyone feels free to offer strdent opinions on the subject.

If I came across as flippant in my initial comments, I apologize. I have no problem with seeing and appreciating "new art" and thank you for showing it. For the general public, some new art is a hard sell. The glossy art magazines limit their pages to those who have found gallery or museum exhibit space. It has never been easy for new artists to get that kind of exposure. If it required 'official' encouragement, nobody would try anything.

It is true, as "bunny" pointed out, that Mexconnect's members in general are not likely to be the most receptive audience. Not necessarily because of their age, but because of their background. Some artists were and are still kicking butt in their nineties.

wendy devlin

Mar 9, 2007, 7:18 AM

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Re: [Gringal] Oaxaca Update

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"I don't know art. But I know what I like."
Read that somewhere once. Kinda of describes my taste.

A little aside but maybe revelant. When our children were young, we spent many months RVing around Mexico for several years. Took along a substantial amount of art supplies, crayons, felt pens, acrylic paints etc. and doing 'art' everywhere we stayed, using whatever was at hand for other materials.

After the kids interacted with artists/ans like the woman who painted wild animal faces on the bases of palm fronds, the families that sat together on the ground, painting colorful and maching coloring 'mask's on half coconut shells etc. they would return to the RV and make their own versions of this 'art' as they were very inspired.

In an Arizona campground twisted roots of trees up-rooted during floods, reminded them of those bizarre/whimsical Oaxacan alebrijes. So the kids painted them to make 'snakes' and sea creatures.

In the years following, our daughter then 8 started drawing in a distinct style, maybe best described as folk-art, strong motifs, colors and...often out-lined in black....another style absorbed.

Finding the artistry/artesanery of Mexicans endlessly creative and so often so integrated into life, appreciated this influence over impressionable youngsters.

Gringal

Mar 9, 2007, 8:28 AM

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Re: [wendy devlin] Oaxaca Update

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Thanks for a great story, Geri. I wish more kids had the opportunity for that kind of stimulation at an early age.

geri

Mar 9, 2007, 5:02 PM

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Re: [NinaNina] Oaxaca Update

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Yes, they still have the calendas and all the other traditional stuff, like the nieves near Iglesia Soledad. The calenda for the Black Christ happened this year (soon after the end of the turmoil) so it was somewhat smaller than usual, but it did happen. Yesterday there was a mega march (International Day of Women) and I'm told there were hundreds of police with dogs, horses, motorcycles etc. blocking the zocalo so that protestors wouldn't "retake" it. That seems to be the main thrust here, not to let protestors overtake the zocalo again. I had a houseguest and he got into the zoc in the morning but was turned away around 4 p.m. for not having credentials. However, I hear it is back to normal today, normal meaning more police presence than in years past but not overly intrusive. There will continue to be protests, I'm sure. Always has been in the 8 years I've lived here. thanks for getting this thread back on track. I think there might be "lurkers" interested in a Oaxaca update once in awhile, but I'm not sure. The mention of Oaxaca seems to trigger all kinds of reactions.

bunny

Mar 9, 2007, 6:44 PM

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Re: [geri] Oaxaca Update

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Yes, Geri, we lurkers are out here (in my case, "here" is Morelia, Mich.), working full-time and raising little kids and with next to no time for exchanges on Internet forums, but I peek in quickly almost every day to check on what's happening, and I am always grateful for your updates about what is going on in Oaxaca. I follow the news, but your lovely, thoughtful posts give a much more vivid sense of what day to day life is actually like there. Thank you thank you, and please keep the updates coming.

Gretchen