Tag: contemporary art

Postcard from Oaxaca, Mexico: Sarabia’s narco mixed-media tales fill second floor of MACO

postcardsfromsanantonio1 Comment

One of the early mixed-media installations of Eduardo Sarabia, a native of Los Angeles living in Guadalajara, tapped into a journey sparked by his grandfather’s map of the rumored buried treasure left behind by Pancho Villa.

That and later stories are included in his current show occupying the entire second floor of the Contemporary Art Museum of Oaxaca (MACO). Traditional forms of Talavera pottery are transformed by symbols associated with narco-trafficking, contrasting the beauty of the culture with the dark undercurrents swirling underneath.

During a 2014 interview published on the website of the Arizona State University Art Museum, Sarabia reflected on the temptations posed by gangs when he was growing up in Los Angeles. A teacher noticed his talent and persuaded his parents to send him to Saturday art classes:

When both your parents are working and you grow up in a bad neighborhood, it is easy to get caught up in these things. Art saves lives.

Postcard from Lisboa, Portugal: Billionaire Berardo shares a wealth of art

postcardsfromsanantonio2 Comments

Anyone who has got power or a bit of money should contribute to the preservation of culture.

Jose Berardo, “In Lisbon, Sowing the Seeds of Culture,” Seth Sherwood, The New York Times, February 18, 2011

Born in Madeira, Jose Berardo has a “gold finger.” The self-made billionaire started out diving into all-night club scenes in South Africa before settling down to make his fortune through trading in gold, diamonds, paper, finance and almost everything else he touched.

His wealth fueled his urge to collect compulsively. And a portion of the results can be seen at the Berardo Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Belen Cultural Center. A rarity: entry to the collection is admission-free.

The placement of the huge Belen Cultural Center, built in 1992 to host Portugal’s term as head of the European Union, was controversial. The massive modern structure shares the same sweeping plaza as the ancient Church and Monastery of Jeronimos. But the plaza is enormous, and great care was taken to preserve the viewshed of the landmark. And, unlike San Antonio’s slow process in the reuse of HemisFair, the calendar of the Cultural Center is packed with theatrical, musical and art events.

So here goes another download overload of postdated postcards from Lisboa.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.