Arte Urbano

Hola dear readers,

This weekend's main event was the Puma Urban Art Fair. It was 3pm on a Sunday and I was debating whether or not to go... but I'm really glad I did!

 The fair had the highest concentration of hipsters I've seen since Knox (home sweet home, haha). I really enjoyed the zines — homemade booklet-style magazines you can see hanging in the picture here. They usually feature photographs, drawings, creative writing, and awareness-raising for social justice/human rights.

 "No one knew what to do with their hands." This zine featured Buenos Aires-isms, like a public bus driver advising someone about exactly which route they should take, friends discussing 'the problem with Argentina' on a sofa, etc.

 I liked this one because it's effectively jolting: it makes you think about what your expectations are and why.

 This zine is formatted like a passport (the cover looks like a passport cover and it's passport-sized). Its subject is the first- to third-world exploitation of the Chiquita Banana company (whose workers lack basic rights). The page before this one is covered with bar codes and says "Your name is now a number." This page explains that the word "Chiquita" means "little girl" in Spanish, and can be used in a derogatory way. Next to a picture of a banana, it says "'Tropical object of perception' from the first world about South America." I found this really interesting — I had rarely thought about the exploitation in the banana industry before specifically studying it (The United Fruit Company has been one of the most infamous exploiters in Latin America), and bananas and nameless workers were hardly my first associations with Latin America. Our conditions and perceptions are so extremely far-removed.

The invisibility of exploitation like this to the people who benefit from it is what keeps it going on — kudos to this zine-maker for drawing attention to it. The first step to solving a social problem is getting people to realize one exists.

One of my favorite parts of the Knox experience was reading my friend Devan's zines in the cafeteria at lunch (she would make them and leave them on the tables for people to read as they ate). She is a wonderful writer and activist! Check them out here.

 Amazing graffiti at el Centro Cultural Recoleta.

A picture that will surely end up on Facebook.

 

New graffiti en mi barrio (in my neighborhood). The text says "This is not Palermo" — Palermo, where my university is, is the high-class Uptown of Buenos Aires.

  

 "Do as I say, not as I do."

I 'liked' my friend Daniel's picture of the Recoleta clock tower on Facebook. A couple was kissing in front of it, and he wrote "I didn't intend that, but Argentineans are always kissing everywhere." La verdad que si (very true). This picture was originally of a concert going on in the background. I saw two amazing bands who I haven't found out the names of yet — one indie and one rock nacional. I will find out soon and post them.

I saw a presentation by a group of designers and their creative process. They draw most of their designs on paper first, and later transfer them to digital and print. It was pretty cool. And I saw lots more urban art, photography, and sculptures at el centro cultural. I got into an artistic mood, wrote, and took lots of pictures. Here is a sample of the result! haha.

 (This picture is sideways on purpose, because I think it looks better that way, haha.)

On Saturday I saw a Canadian circus at the Obelisco with Jorge. My favorite parts were a man dancing and rolling around in a giant hampster wheel and a bunch of glittery confetti raining down. After the show Jorge made a delicious chicken pie — he studied cooking for two years and his food is the best that I've had since my grandma's — and watched three episodes of "House." That is what I call one perfect afternoon. =)

Another nice part of my week was chatting with my old housemate, Leo. He unfortunately has to move, because of the trouble-starting woman who replaced me. He's still looking for a place and will hopefully be able to find one soon. 

 This is Leo in his natural habitat. Usually the stones he carves and polishes to make jewelery are spread across the table. He made the ceiling at the top of the picture — it divides the room in two and there is a loft above. It will be extremely bittersweet for him to move!

In the background is Leo and Sietske's big National Geographic map. We have a great time talking about the world and pointing to the places that come up (Leo is from Colombia, Sietske from Holland, and they have friends from all around the world).

Tomorrow is my trip to Uruguay! =)

I hope it is feeling more like springtime for all of you up north!

Besos
Kaeli