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Oaxaca, Oaxaca
by Neil Pyatt
Neil Pyatt, the world's leading authority on Oaxacan nightlife.
- John Noble, Editor, Lonely
Planet Mexico
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GUIDE TO ART-RELATED RESOURCES: OAXACA CONFLICT
April 26, 2007
Even though there are many signs of a continuing struggle between
the people of Oaxaca and the Oaxaca government and many fear a resurgence
of the events similar to those of last year, it appears that little
more than tension is building up as we speak and not a pacifist
or armed struggle which some believe the only response to the unresolved
issues that caused this conflict in the first place.
The aftermath of the postmodern war that demanded exposure through
all forms of media from e-mailshots and video documentation to personal
sacrifice in a 500-km walk and hunger strikes has created a vacuum
in the local culture. Previously filled by an endless stream of
written, radio, television media and barricade-hopping whilst artesanos
and artists created protest art and reinvented art as real-time
protest; the temporary popular culture that documented, promoted
and analysed the teachers-APPO versus Ulises Ruiz battle has now
been replaced by fear and shock and a lack of direction. The spoils,
the glory and the prisoners all belong to the winner; a return to
a drawing board held up by human rights commissions, liberation
committees and the economic, physical and emotional suffering to
the loser: La Verde Antequera.
Both sides of this official battle used and abused the mighty weapons
of marketing and postmodern persuasion. The artistic community,
attempting to remain neutral but positive, appeared on stage as
the only cast member to know its lines and therefore the script
and the reality of a single possible outcome. The only Oaxacan voice
heard outside of Oaxaca, (this too due to media empowerment through
obligatory knowledge of promotion and international sales techniques),
Oaxacan art has managed to stand up for the people with whom it
mutually thrives.
Expressed through strong-worded left-leaning Websites or large-format
paintings by not one or two or three but four Oaxacan painters on
the same canvas, there are many perspectives and a great deal more
representations of those perspectives that serve as action and reaction
to the recent sad events we have all experienced.
Please use the following as an impartial guide to the available
resources on an artistic understanding of the what, why, when, where,
who and how of the Oaxacan conflict.
sidestepthenorm 'The Oaxacan Conflict Timeline' - Flash and HTML
versions
http://www.sidestepthenorm.com/aisconfltimel.htm
'Cura de Viento' art exhibition by Sergio Hernández and La Curtiduria
Workshop Collective 'Oaxaca in relation to the political conflict'
http://www.arteven.com/anv/n/html/07_estacion_indianilla_01.htm
'¡Ya Cayo!' Censured painting by Ana Santos that re-emerged
as a T-shirt.
'Paseo Domincal' a performance that intervened with both public
and police by Gabriela León wearing a dress she made from
the debris of barricades destroyed by police.
http://gabrielaleonv.blogspot.com
'Calavera Oaxaqueña: Homage to Jose Guadalupe Posadas' by
38 artists at La Curtiduria Workshop. January 2007
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2007/01/22/index.php?section=cultura&article=a14n1cul
'Graffiti al paredón' art exhibition by ASARO (Asamblea
de Artistas Revolucionarios de Oaxaca) that were used to express
sentiment during the conflict. Images and stencils available to
buy
http://web.mac.com/dfteitel/iWeb/ASAR-O/Home.html
'La Patria Ilustrada' magazine and 'Map of Historic Trees in the
Centre of Oaxaca': highly relevant written word expression of real
issues behind the Conflict."Tropicos eternos" by Maria
Luisa de Villa, until 13 May 2006 at the Art Gallery of Sudbury,
Canada.
http://www.artsudbury.org
OAXACAN ART CROSSES THE BORDER
February 9, 2006
The first major project undertaken by the International Museums
Institute, directed by Selma Holo of the University of Southern
California, is the bilateral exhibition of work by contemporary
artist Demián
Flores Cortés.
Having begun the cross-frontier presentation last week in the hardcore
border town of Tijuana, Baja California, Flores and his art crossed
the border into the United States of America yesterday, Tuesday
7 of February, imitating the plight and flight of millions of Mexican
males and their families in their search for a life less poor.
With tremendous support by the Exterior
Relations Department of the Mexican government following their
promotion of Flores work in a multi-national tour across the whole
of Latin America throughout the last twelve months, Flores has been
given the chance to speak in the Mexican consulate in the heart
of the vice-ridden migratory metropolis and create semi-permanent
murals celebrating the choque (‘clash') between the
Mexicanidad (‘Mexicanness') this side of the border
and the way that same set of personality traits is perceived and
changed by influences north of that physical division.
Very soon the work of this artist will be available for more people
to see as part of a series of documentaries recently filmed and
currently being edited by director Albino Alvarez on behalf of the
Mexican government cultural channel, Canal
22, and leading Mexican cultural centre, Casa
Lamm.
DEMIÁN FLORES
September 26, 2005
The art of Demián
Flores Cortés (b. 1971, Juchitán, Oaxaca, Mexico)
provides evidence of a postmodern nature to contemporary Mexican
society which is a product of both the recent decades of consumerist
popular culture characteristic of European and North American civilisations
and a predisposition to such a manner of living due to the fragmented
nature of its history. This fragmentation is an effect of invasion,
colonialisation, geographical roots of numerous distinct and separate
races alongside the modern day location as the poor nearest neighbour
to the current world super-power, the United States of America.
Demián Flores' cultural output reflects this fragmentation
in wholly distinct way for Mexican art, he in turn using superposition,
innumerable layers, the interaction of chronological periods and
formal techniques and media. A brief but concise presentation and
discussion of some of his recent works and projects will introduce
his relationship with the national and international art worlds
as well as the relationship between his award-winning printmaking,
Mexican wrestling and Fidel Castro as one example of the sincere
and profound nature of his will invested in the expression of a
contemporary vision.
Using iconography from distinct eras and sources of popular culture,
Zapotec imagery alongside signifiers and historical references from
Mexican presidents to 9/11; Flores investigates cultural identity,
territory and memory. From his viewpoint as a young Oaxacan from
a Zapotec background who has grown up and, until very recently,
lived in the gigantic urban island of Mexico City, his work provides
an original and formally brilliant discussion of the larger themes
of globalisation and especially cultural mestizaje (mixing).
Related links:
Doctoral
research project
Transversalities:
Crossing Disciplines, Cultures and Identities
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| SUNBATHING
March 21, 2003
The lack of work in Oaxaca, and the aim of working for Oaxaca
have brought this author this back to his home turf of London,
England.
To date, a number of months have already been spent
here in 'The Smoke' (the nickname given to London as 'The Big Apple'
for NYC) and the sun is starting to be sorely missed. What to do?
Find some other sort of sun, of course.
Luckily, this was an easy task, as Olafur Eliason's
installation The
Weather Project at the Tate Modern Gallery on the South Bank
of the River Thames has been greatly publicised as this weekend
saw the end of its six month reign over the enormous Turbine Hall
(the huge main space).
Modern art galleries are known for attracting and
promoting unusual behaviour, but the impact of Eliason's sun on
its audience has been dramatic, and no less so during my visit.
The enormous (35,000 sq ft) Turbine Hall has become a beach. An
indoor beach in Central London. The old, the young, the new and
the brave have all been compelled to strut in and sit down on the
floor in homage. The sun does this, and a huge indoor version of
the sun and a mirrored ceiling representing the sky can do this,
too. Picnics, children playing, indoor sunbathing and general beach
behaviour all in evidence.
So, why am I going on about modern art and London
in this Oaxaca Oaxaca column? Yes, there is my homesickness and
the associated need for sun as a link, but also my task, which is
based around the promotion of Oaxacan art. More precisely, the work
of young painters including Demian Flores and Soid Pastrana from
Juchitan who work from studios in Mexico
City.
The quality of these painters' work speaks for itself,
with a Demian Flores individual exhibition having inaugurated last
week in Amsterdam, he is to open in Berlin in June, and will be
taking up a residency at Essex University (owners of the largest
Latin American art collection in Europe) here in England this autumn.
This new generation of Oaxacan art, its influence
and its meaning reflect greatly many people's (including this authour's
and Olafur Eliason's) endeavours towards a greater understanding
of the modern world. The practical application of postmodernism's
"think globally, act locally" approach can be used as
a tool for social action and not only as a consumer-targetting weapon
as abused by the mass media and popular culture industries.
For further details, please visit Sidestepthenorm.com
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BASEBALL
August 21, 2003
Baseball, yeah! Eh?
Baseball, yeah, woo. Against all European upbringing, the gringo
national sport
has managed to attract this author to peruse its wares with surprising
results.
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As with all behaviours, a number of factors are at
work, including; 1) the Oaxaca Guerreros
stadium is one block from my place, 2) cheap Coronas are brought
to your seat, and 3) this year Oaxaca are particularly good and
therefore currently two-thirds of the way through the semi-final
of this year's championship.
Yeah, I can hear the music, shouting, scoring and traffic problems
from my sofa so I may as well see what all the fuss is about not
only via Oaxaca's Canal 9 TV channel or ESPN 2 which also shows
many Oaxacan games.
Extremely social and familial in nature, a baseball match is high
quality, good value entertainment. As with many sports, crowd interaction
with opposing team and individual players (not with Mexican fans
as very few travel) is a highlight. A macho showground, many Mexican
baseball fans take their entire families to matches but with no
intention of letting this control their language or behavior.
Deadly rivals with the Puebla's Tigres, the team they are currently
playing in said semi-final, Oaxacan fans are particularly hateful
towards Matias Carrillo -- the Tigres' number one batter who plays
a long fielding position in right field, unfortunately close to
many of the home fans. Matias has been witnessed losing many a psychological
battle with the wittiest and loudest porras (fans).
Note: American spelling of 'yes' (read 'yeah') in this article
is dedicated to my new friend and neighbour -- baseball.
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GUELAGUETZA
July 20, 2003
As the city prepares for high season, during which the power of
the Guelaguetza
dance festival combines with the start of school summer holidays
to attract national and international tourists in the latter weeks
of July and throughout August, shops begin to stock more products
and galleries begin to have more opening nights.
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The already surging crowds that can be seen filling
the pedestrianised boulevard known as "Alcala" that links some of
Oaxaca's finest attractions as a sort of cultural 'spine' to the
city are giving hope of alleviating the financially difficult time
imposed by the September 11th 2001 attack on capitalism and tourism,
caused by the struggle, geographical if not ideological, association
with the United States and its expensive war effort has hit Mexico
hard.
Small business owners, from restaurateurs to handicraft stockists,
are looking up, perhaps not with their heads above water quite yet,
but at least receiving growing signals that the surface is in sight.
The awkward seasonal tourism game that Oaxaca must play due to the
chronological spacing of its famous traditions is one of the greatest
causes of the frequent economic lows and susequent slow debt-paying
battle recoveries. If Oaxacan businesses do not do well in mid-summer
they must wait optomistically until early November and then push
their wares even harder to the Day of the Dead visitors and local
revellers.
Cultural eyes are still focussed on Oaxaca due to the quality
and fame of its painters and fine artists. It is this focus that
must be stretched to other sectors in order to attract the higher-impacting
investors' chequebooks rather than just travellers' cheques.
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OAXACA, OAXACA
The city of Oaxaca de Juárez, previously known as the Verde
Antequera is the capital of the Southern Mexican state of Oaxaca |
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