Akumal Mexico

It's clear to me now that by the time we got to Akumal, I was in full vacation mode. I love traveling for the inspiration it provides at every corner, and man did I need to get away. As we made it an hour south of Puerto Morelos, D and M took naps int he cab and we had officially sunk in to ourselves. I made time for some runs in the morning to acquaint myself with the town. There were so many great things going on but a massage for both of us was the highest priority. D took care of his fishing trip. Other than that we delighted in the food, including one awesome moonlight and flashlight-lite dinner that was probably the best meal (and I have no pictures of it). We were the only people in the sand-floored restaurant and when we returned to our condo, we found a large sea turtle just below our patio on the beach looking for a place to lay her eggs. There was a certain element of magic to the whole thing. 

I think this was the library; I LOVED the mural

La Buena Vida

             

             

mini nap on the beach

after our massages

of course, D had to go fishing

Hermes the hermit crab

official birthday dinner with D's Dorado prepared as many different ways as possible

jungle flora always rocks

                 

one last play on the beach

                

buh-by to our view and the nesting sea turtles

on our way home

Escuela Tlatelolco Mural

For weeks, I watched this mural unfold as background to the early morning chill of spring and the traffic whizzing by on Park Ave West. Sometimes in the afternoon, on my way home from work, the students would be busy painting and I would take photos from across the intersection as they glanced back at me. I watched them sit in groups or work in twos supporting each other on a ladder while the teacher offered instruction up and down the length of the project.

It was late May when I finally stopped to ask what it all meant and who they were. Jaime Gomez, a teacher at Escuela Tlatelolco, took a few minutes to explain the mural and the process. As any good procrastinator would mention right about now... I should have done this blog post back then when they were weeks away from completion. But alas I blew my chance and let this information disintegrate in my brain.

SO - as far as I can remember, the mural was a project instigated by another art teacher at the school. This is her second time putting up a mural in the city. She won about $400 selling her artwork at a show in town (if I remember right - she might have won an art contest) and used it to purchase paint for this mural. The owner of the building had donated the side of the wall to use as a project for her students, who would participate in bringing this artwork to fruition during school hours. They had been perfecting their own likeness all semester and, in that way, each student was incorporated in to the mural.

The mural is a consideration of the effects of capitalism on nature and our society. From the left end, the subject matter moves from the mountains where there is music and nature, flowers and a rainbow. The people on that side are pulling on a chains wrapped around the heart of the world, which gives it life. From the right end, the chains are being pulled by people entrenched in modern day society, which is more concerned with money, producing food, and bringing it to the City – the place where dreams are made. In the middle, the chains are breaking from the cogs - the system is not working.

There are so many other great pieces to consider in the art. I wish I could remember what the wings behind the planet represent; what the fire breathing snakes represent; what these people on the chains throwing the spindles mean (perhaps how industry can destroy your heart's desires)...

But most importantly, what is the name of the mural?!

The one thing I do remember is how much the surrounding community benefits from these types of projects. Consider this: $400 and some run of the mill building on ugly old Park Ave West turns in to artwork. Students get the chance to experience real-life application of their studies and take pride in a major accomplishment that the whole community can enjoy. The community is brightened by something beautiful to look at and converse about rather than the run of-the-mill graffiti (which I do love too in it's own artistic way).

Mural Update

What's up with the mural you ask? I know you're just itching for an update. Embarrassingly, I haven't been by it in two weeks, which is when these photos are from.

I started riding my bike to work so it's a block out of my way and I can't seem to ride over one street. I am going back to check it out tomorrow. It should be done or close to done at which point I will take final photos.

Subtle Changes

I know you're dying for another mural update - so here is a shot from last week. It's not as dramatic a change as last time but there are still wonderful features to be noticed: like the white added in along the top and the land on the world filled in, the pink pig at the bottom, and the red embellishments I can't make out as of yet. There are other things too, like the corn just to the left of the sprawling city, which I think is my favorite part thus far - I just love the curves in the road and the buildings. Though I do like the guitar and mountains on the opposite end.

Color and Shape

Wow was all I had to say after a three day weekend and not really checking in on the mural last week. This morning it was a surprise to come across so many colors and developed shapes in the easy morning light. Glad to see these guys are busy at work.

Urban Art Revisited

If you're at all curious and following along at home, the mural IS still developing. This week it started strong and then probably got put on hold for the rain/snow/what-happened-to-spring weather we are having as of late (I watched snow fall in sheets yesterday). I hope the regularly scheduled programming comes back next week. Didn't we all agree it was Spring, why can't we just stick to that?!

In any case, there is progress to visually report though still no insight into the background of the project. Looks like things are starting to be filled in and take shape.

(this is on the very left end of the mural, it's light in the first photo)

Sketch

Yesterday my growling stomach kept me from walking across the street and talking to the artists (and teacher). Rather, I took some photos from an opposite corner as a few kids look awkwardly across the road at me (with my camera and leering eye). I watched the scene for a minute: some kids collected around a table talking and a few doing actual measurements. The teacher came around the building and drew the students' attention to the slack in the tape measure that they were using to draw a straight line. More kids moved to the tape and held it up so they could figure a line or measurement that would serve as part of the foundation they would later build off of.

On my way home for lunch, I daydreamed about all the great things that come from the experience of creating something so large. It creates immortality in a way. This morning as I walked to work, I took in what more they did after I passed yesterday.

New Coat of Paint

For a while now, I've been considering an entry about all of the strange, interesting visual information I see when I walk to work. Things like: the scale of the city from 25th and then again from 20th, graffiti I pass along the way, repeating movie posters glued to decomposing walls of peeling paint, silly dogs that sit in front yards, or the grand architecture (new and old) on Curtis Street (and the wonderful flagstone sidewalks that have the best hollow echo when my shoes tap them), the change of seasons, etc.

I like walking. It seems like such a novel way to half-commute especially when I used to sit in a car for 30 minutes on the highway or ride the light rail in a daze. It slows everything down and adds some different perspective on getting to work. It's a great time to look at things that I wouldn't normally pay attention to, which is why today presented such an awesome opportunity.

I came to the corner of Park Ave West and California and found a bunch of students painting the side of a building a creamy lime green color. They were spread out across the span of the wall that bordered Park Ave West and I just knew they were prepping to paint a mural; so I stopped to take a photo. Then I walked up to two girls and made sure that's what they were doing, which they confirmed they were doing for their school (which I can't remember the name of right now). I was telling them how cool it was and was practically gushing about watching the whole process unfold. They were as excited as they could get about some strange lady in a dress and sneakers honing in on there action. They said the mural was supposed to be completed by the end of May. So I am starting series of photos (every now and again, when I see changes) to show the creation coming to life. I have no idea what the mural is about or what it will look like. I'm guessing it will have a Latino flare because the building houses a Latino organization and the students were Latino as well. I'll keep you posted on the progress.