City Mall, Alajuela, Alajuela, Costa Rica at San Jose Airport — Photos of two of their Christmas Trees that have been up for weeks!
Mall Christmas Trees
Dia de la Mascarada Costa Rica
Costa Rica’s answer to the American Halloween tradition is “Day of the Masquerade” or Dia de la Mascarada (Wikipedia article) and today I experienced a tiny fringe of it at my favorite Supermarket . . .
And I have more photos and information . . .
Continue reading “Dia de la Mascarada Costa Rica”Indigenous Meditation?
Ever since the gardeners broke my fragile pottery bird in my garden I have intended to replace it with a more substantial or concrete art and finally did that this week. This particular meditating indigenous man statue is one I’ve seen in some of the lodges I visit and liked, but not available in Atenas or even in the viveros (plant nurseries) of La Garita. My gardener sent me to an outdoor arts business on the outskirts of Naranjo de Alajuela and there I found depictions of the indigenous people of Costa Rica.
I haven’t found out yet if he is intended to be “the thinker” or someone in “some kind of meditation,” but the art style (copied of course) is similar to the Pre-Columbian Diquís Culture statues as a part of the Meso-American Pacific Culture. I like it and think it adds a touch of calm and history or maybe even spirituality to my garden. It is made of concrete, thus not as likely to be broken! 🙂
STREET ART: Nashville
My last post in this Street Art series will be from my last hometown in the states before moving to Costa Rica: Nashville, Tennessee USA (where I lived from 1977-2014 less 3 of those years in The Gambia). As in other places, Street Art was not my focus as a nature photographer, but this is a sampling with some commissioned art I’m sure.
There is so much “purposed” Street Art in Nashville that it leaves not much demand for “graffiti-style” art as you can see in my gallery: Pre-Costa Rica NASHVILLE Photos 1977-2014 within which you can find statues and architectural art along with art projects like the 2010 Bike Rack Sculptures, 2005 Guitars, and 2003 Catfish art objects found all over Nashville! Those are really a type of “Planned Street Art” as are some beautiful special installations like at Music Circle and Riverfront Park included in another gallery Public Art & Statues. Nashville is worth exploring by the art lover! Not to mention some great art museums & galleries! 🙂
STREET ART: The Gambia, West Africa
These photos were made in 1999-2002 in the Banjul and Serekunda areas of The Gambia, plus two in Albreda at the Slavery Museum near Juffre, the home of Kunta Kente of Roots book & movie. I believe these are the work of 4 different Gambia artists and most likely all were commissioned to do these public paintings.
READ MORE for a slide show of 8 different Street Art paintings . . .
Continue reading “STREET ART: The Gambia, West Africa”STREET ART: Mexico
Of course there is a lot more than this in just Mexico City where I did not even try to find Street Art – but this sampling from different cities shows the multiple tones of street art across this exciting country to visit!
STREET ART: Cuba
Wow! There was a lot and of course I have no way of knowing what was government sanctioned, but after this one shot for the email notice, READ MORE for a slide show of 11 Street Art images from Cuba, most in Havana . . .
STREET ART: Panama City, Panama
From my Caravan Tour of Panama Gallery and full Panama City Gallery is a sub-sub-gallery titled Casco Viejo Street Art, one of my favorites from that trip. “Casco Viejo” just means “old city” and is one of two such historic districts in Panama City, the one resettled in 1673 after the big fire. Here’s just 4 of the many photos in the above linked gallery . . .
There is a temptation for me to write my interpretation of each piece, but this kind of art is better left to the interpretation or meaning of the viewer.
DISCLAIMER: “Street Art” for this series is paintings and tile work along streets, usually on buildings, that may or may not have been commissioned or done “illegally” without permission. I have no way of knowing. I purposefully did not include public statues, fountains, etc. obviously sanctioned by the government.
“Art must not be concentrated in dead shrines called museums.
~Vladimir Mayakovsky
It must be spread everywhere – on the streets, in the trams, factories, workshops, and in the workers’ homes.”
¡Pura Vida!
STREET ART: Granada, Nicaragua
The fear of the Police probably stops most graffiti and street art in Nicaragua, especially in Manaus, but in the little tourist town of Colonial Granada on Lake Nicaragua I found these two works of street art on the sides of buildings. See my Gallery of other shots in Granada, a beautiful, photogenic, colonial town or at bottom of post, links to all of my two trips photos.
DISCLAIMER: “Street Art” for this series is paintings and tile work along streets, usually on buildings, that may or may not have been commissioned or done “illegally” without permission. I have no way of knowing. I purposefully did not include public statues, fountains, etc. obviously sanctioned by the government.
“Speak softly, but carry a big can of paint.”
— Banksy
If interested in Nicaragua, see all of my photos from two trips there in 2016, mostly for birding, but other local photography included:
¡Pura Vida!
STREET ART: Other Costa Rica Cities
Here’s only 3 shots from our capital city of San Jose, which of course has many more admirable Street Art works that I have just not discovered yet! I don’t hang out in the big city much! I’m a nature photographer! 🙂 Also included is one from Alajuela, my provincial capital, and one from nearby San Ramon. These are the last of my Street Art photos from Costa Rica. Tomorrow I share just 2 from Nicaragua and then around the world we go! 🙂
