Bogotá, Colombia. October 2012.
September 2012. Bogotá, Colombia. “Updating & Streamlining My Blog”
The mural above is on the side of the building facing Septima.
7OCT12. The Chapinero, Bogotá, Colombia.
This wall combining the efforts of all three amazing street artists, is opposite the Plaza de Toros de Santamaria (Bogota’s Bullfighting stadium.)
Monkey & A Peace Sign by Lesivo
It seems to me like these guys think a lot about evolution and that humanity hasn’t really evolved effectively. Hence, the peace sign with the monkey. There are usually more violent symbols associated with the humans in their works.
Man in a Chemical Suit by DjLu
Monkey in a Hat by Lesivo
Disillusioned Girl, Probably a Drug Addict, by Toxicomano
Indigenous Woman with Child by DjLu, Evil Birdman by Lesivo
The woman is holding a sign that says “Nobody Wins.” This section of the mural depicts the two opposing sides in the class war that is so prevalent in Colombia: the poor desperately needing representation, and the powerful wealthy elite that rule the country on their own terms.
Corruption and Beauty by Lesivo
Fox and Four-Headed Cheetah by DjLu
Four-Headed Cheetah and Boy by Toxicomano
Cheetah and Boy by Toxicomano, Tattooed Punk Jester by DjLu
DjLu’s character looks almost like a court jester with his make-up on and his pointed boots. He appears to be balancing the globe on his knee (notice that it is dangerously close to the edge) while doing a Tai-Chi pose and his left hand is poised in the yogi-namaste gesture. We need peace and balance to save the world.
Good Girl Gone Tramp by Lesivo
Notice the good little girl with the good intent of getting educated and following the dream of her parents (in the lightbulb,) but her eyes portray a fear, almost an inevitability of what she will be made to do and made to become, to get ahead in this world.
Two Women by Lesivo
Woman by Lesivo, Homeless Man by DjLu
With clenched fist, the man says he knows it’s all about guns (power) and money (wealth) so he’ll live in this perpetual state, for how can he emerge?
Scream by Toxicomano
Notice the outline of the yellow dog that is on the attack of the man.
Black Man Screaming for Justice While White Man Remains Silent, Toxicomano.
The title I gave it says it all.
Man Covers his Mouth in the Face of Injustice by Lesivo
Angry Monkeys by Lesivo
A Brighter Future by DjLu
Free Expression by DjLu
The Story this wall tells: The world began with peace and a simpler species ruled the planet. In the interim, the species evolved into humans, which were supposed to be more intelligent and were supposed to do the right thing for mankind. Instead, the world is worse off than its ever been, it’s at its breaking point, and humans are responsible for this condition. You see Lesivo’s angry monkeys attacking the scenes before them, demolishing them, letting the humans know that they did not make a better world, they’ve destroyed it. The next panel depicts two smiling boys by DjLu, which indicates that there is a brighter tomorrow, that we can change the world and make it right again.
All Pictures: 7OCT12. Bogotá, Colombia.
I found some more work from Australian artist, Crisp. This is located around Septima y Calle 52 or so…I don’t think it’s Obama necessarily that Crisp is raging against. Rather, I think it would be any U.S. President or Western leader. They all seem to represent the problems with the world: debt, war, hate, greed, pollution, and fraud. The indigenous people pictured next to the evil capitalist, are the people who essentially started this world. They’re the ones who respect the earth and approach the world with purity. The powers that be have ruined the simplicity and destroyed the opposing forces of monetary balance, peace, love, generosity, clean air, and truth. Notice two things: First, Crisp has his name with the proper ideals on the clothing of the indigenous people, while obviously Obama is cloaked in the opposite. Secondly, someone has tagged an “L,” I’m assuming for “Loser,” on Obama’s head and I’m pretty sure that wasn’t Crisp. But, I could be wrong. I’m awaiting verification.
7OCT12. Septima y Calle 50s. Bogotá, Colombia.
We caught the TransMilenio from Las Aguas station and took an easy ride for about an hour to Portal del Norte and then caught a local bus to Zipaquira, which took about 45 minutes. A short walk later, we made it to the Salt Cathedral.
Zipaquira is one of the oldest cities in Colombia, possibly originating in the 1500’s. The church pictured above right, Holy Trinity and San Antonio de Padua Parish, was created in 1779.
The Salt Cathedral (Catedral de Sal de Zipaquira) is an underground Roman Catholic Church built inside the tunnels of a salt mine about 200 meters underground. It’s a very popular tourist destination, but it also serves as a place of pilgrimage and about 3000 parishioners attend services every Sunday. Because it has no Bishop, it isn’t officially recognized as a Cathedral.
Stationed on the floor in front of the cross is “La Creacion del Hombre,” a sculpture by Carlos Enrique Rodriguez.
All Pictures: 6OCT12. Zipaquira. Bogota, Colombia.
This is really cool. I can’t remember who the woman is painted by, but I can see a CRISP tribal mask tattoo on her arm.
I ‘think’ this is Rodez because one of his tendencies is to paint multiple eyes.
I haven’t seen any other ones by ‘Sluto,’ but this is on the side of a building in La Candelaria.
29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.
I thought these were striking. Unfortunately, I don’t know who the artists are. On Calle 19. 29SEP12. Bogota, Colombia.
Bastardilla (“Italics” in English) is one of the leading female street artists. She’s known for doing very large murals depicting women experiencing different forms of isolation or sadness. This one on a huge wall facing a children’s playground, shows a woman inhaling daggers. She has murals all over the world including Madrid, Guatemala City, and Boston. Sadly, there’s a story that Bastardilla was raped in Bogotá when she was younger and that experience has served to influence her paintings of women. 29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.
Pez translates to ‘fish.’ His tag has evolved into a smiling fish character. He’s from Barcelona, Spain, but is based here in Bogotá. However, he continues to travel the world, painting. Pictured below are some of this legend’s trademark murals in the La Candelaria area:
Smiling & Backpacking in Bogotá
Considered an ‘elitest bloodfest’ by many, bullfighting in Colombia is as controversial as it is popular. The season lasts from January to February and something like 600 bulls will meet their painful, gory demise in that period of time. Tickets are expensive, so regular wage-earning Colombians can’t get in. The idea of the powerful, wealthy elite making their ways into the stadiums to embrace the slaughtering of bulls for sport, just adds to the animosity and great divide between the upper and lower classes in Colombia. Most street art in Bogotá reflects this attitude.
All Pictures: 29SEP12. Bogotá, Colombia.