The here and now... and what and why

Complacency is a trap. At least that’s what I was thinking when I up and left the comfort of a Yankee prep school gig, where I taught music, amongst other things, for 28 years. There was also that life long career as a composer, musician and artist.

First, it was a year in St. Thomas, USVI, working as a reporter and shooting photography and then, a year in San Agustin Etla, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Time passed.
More time passed and a year back in the Athens of America followed by a hasty return to Oaxaca where it is all happening.
A couple of years in San Sebastian Etla and now, just down the road in San Pablo Etla. Life is good.

Click on an image to see it larger.
For additional photography please visit my flickr page.
You can find my music on Jango (World & latin - Worldbeat) and at iTunes and most online stores.
¡Soy consciente de todas las tradiciones del Internet!
If you are coming to Oaxaca, please contact me for tours or advice.

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo
The view from Corazon del Pueblo

The hereafter re me

My photo
Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
Musician, photographer, videographer, reporter, ex-officio teacher, now attempting to be a world traveler

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Hidden treasures

Oaxaca is a very walkable city.  Given the inclination and enough time, it is easy to walk to almost part of the city.  This is also one of the best ways to see things one might not ever see and, of course, to get slightly lost.  Such was the case when I was searching for the office from which to get tickets for the Feria de los Moles.  As I followed the various conflicting directions that people gave me, even though I was on familiar ground, I found myself going down side streets and alleyways and I stumbled first upon this fine piece of street art.
Immediately to the right was this one
And all of a sudden, voila, it was a slide show of beautiful graffiti portraits of artists.
 I confess, I only recognize van Gogh and Diego.  Anyone know who the others are? 
That's what I love about the contemporary art scene here.  It is everywhere and always so creative.
Oaxacan street art, always some of the best.
This was just a little alley and yet it was so full of life, bright and wonderful art.  I am sure the neighbors appreciated it.  I sure did.

5 comments:

Lopez Kilpatrick said...

I think you have (in order) Siqueiros, ??, DaVinchi, and ?? I would have expected maybe Tamayo, or Orozco, or ... but none look quite right. that last one looks familiar for sure, but I can't stick a name to it

gardengirl said...

I enjoy your blog so much. I have been kicking around in Nayarit and Jalisco for the last few years, just because it's so easy to get there from where I live in Canada, but I keep promising myself Oaxaca! Such riches! thank you C

Nightreading said...

Beautiful folk art on the streets of Oaxaca city, such a treat to see all those colors as well as sequences of the portraits.

I have to admit - it was a challenge to figure out who is who (and as a scientist do I love it or what...). Not 100% positive, but here it is...

My sequence of modern/contemporary/renaissance geniuses is as follows:
Vincent van Gogh --> Diego Rivera --> Pablo Picasso --> next is the though on: Charles Darwin (had nothing to do with Mexico, but boy does the image looks like him, at least to my biomedical sight;-))) or could be Venistiano Carriage (not an artist, but an important historical figure in Mexico with one of the most famous of all times beards in Latin America) --> Leonardo da Vinci --> David Alfaro Siquieros...

Christopher Stowens said...

Gracias for the answers and comments. The names seem to match the faces. All part of my education ;-)

Anonymous said...

I think it's Marcel Duchamp after Rivera.