Earlier today we went to Museu Banksy (Museum Banksy), which is conveniently located right behind the hotel where we are staying. The exhibition was well presented with detailed explanation of each piece that Banksy created. Although I knew they were all reproductions, I didn’t realize that the famous anonymous artist actually has never authorized the exhibition. Neither this one in Lisbon nor others in New York or Paris. This fact suddenly put a dent in the whole experience.
Banksy has clearly expressed his opinion on consumerism and capitalism through his art. (Whether his work is art or vandalism is a different matter..) I have to wonder what he truly thinks about all these pro-profit Banksy Museums around the world which none is authorized by the artist himself.
Note: the image is one of many murals that Banksy created in Ukrainian cities ruined by Russia.
Three days ago I found our burro fell flat on the ground after the sudden rain. I straightened it up as soon as the rain stopped, but I kept wondering how that happened. The burro is quite heavy after all.
Our previous neighbors gifted this burro to us when they decided to move. It’s been with us for more than a year now. We truly enjoy its company. All the memories and history seem to be in this burro’s eyes, and sometimes they bring sadness into my mind..
We still try to maintain our Sunday routine even when we are traveling. After our morning run and walk, we took it easy for the rest of the day and only went out for Lunch plus quick shopping. Inside the Kinokuniya Bookstore in walking distance from our hotel, there’s a tiny coffee shop. I ordered a matcha latte and had to capture it when it was brought to me. It’s one of the most elaborate creations I’ve ever seen.
We came across this building and the facade caught my eye. It was composed of multiple layers of paper cutout-like silhouette in various colors with some looked like butterflies in 3D design.
Today I spent a few hours dusting our house. In the process I rearranged some memorabilia that we have acquired from our travels and artworks we’ve collected throughout the years. Then I realized how certain things have changed their values or meanings. Some I once held so dearly, but now they seem disconnected. Would these objects that are displayed prominently now be replaced by others one day?
Today we randomly decided to explore Ciudad Vieja neighborhood. The taxi dropped us off at Plaza de la Constitución and we felt immediately at home. (Okay, that’s an exaggeration. What I meant to say was that we felt comfortable there.) Because of my refusal to go to a Starbucks, my companion found a small local coffee shop not far from the plaza. We ordered a latte, a cortado, one croissant and a Russian honey cake that the dueño fervently recommended. According to him it takes two days to make this specific cake, and as he claimed, it was absolutely delicious with delicate, subtle flavors.
When we were about to conclude our coffee break, the dueño came to our table and chatted with us. He started by asking us where we were from and what our professions were. When I told him that I used to be a photographer, he brought out his tablet and showed us images of buildings that he has captured within Montevideo. He shared with us his proudest documentations of various magnificent structures and unique features and details of important buildings in the city, including a few videos which I assume were captured with a drone camera. He then shared with us pieces of his experiences in life, which clearly indicated that he basically had been traveling most of his life, for reasons that he did not reveal, until he landed in Montevideo almost two decades ago.
After we paid the bill, he told us that he wanted to show us something. While walking, he pointed at a mural on top of a building and explained briefly about the incredible Montevideo born artist and the museum near by which is named after him. I took a mental note to look him up later.
The building he wanted to show us turned out to be a bookstore that we mentioned to him earlier that we wanted to go. He explained in great detail the significance of it and fun facts that few people would notice. The moment he wanted to bid farewell, my companion asked if he could take a picture of him. He politely declined. I can’t recall exactly what he said. It was something along the lines of “no pictures carry my presence.”
Our coffee break today became an incredibly informative and educational one about Montevideo and the world. We met a person, by coincidence, who was highly knowledgeable about various topics including art. He has such a zeal for life and the world, and he’s somewhat mysterious. Only on the taxi ride back to our hotel, we suddenly realized we don’t even know his name.
PS: the mural on the building is a reproduction of an iconic work by artist Joaquín Torres García, titled Pax In Lucem, which was lost in the fire at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro in 1978.
A large collection of stickers on one side of a utility box. Quite a few of them up there I actually recognize. Some of them voice the world we inhabit while many of others promote certain businesses. No surprise there. That’s the world we all live in.
Today was unexpectedly busy. My companion had his scheduled physical therapy, which visibly has truly improved his condition and posture. After a quick stop at the Java Joe’s on Rodeo Road, in the car on our way home I decided that once we get home I’d go for my regular 5K run which I usually do on Sunday morning.
A cold shower after returning from my run, my companion expressed his desire of having pasta and red wine for dinner. He didn’t think of that I still have my leftover curry in the fridge, but that’s fine by me as it won’t go bad that fast.
While waiting for the pot of water to boil, my eyes landed on these two handmade cloth stars. Immediately I was reminded that I still owed a FaceTime call with the friend who made and gifted them to us. This friend of ours has been going through some tough times recently. He sent me updates with pictures via text messages while I was still in Taiwan, and I’ve promised him that we’d talk soon once I’m back in Santa Fe.
“I’ll contact him first thing in the morning tomorrow.“ I told myself with my eyes staring at the bubbling water.
I knew about its existence even before we moved here. Today I thought it’s time to make a visit.
The Ghost Buffalo from the Adobe Buffalo Project by artist Karen Windchild was completed in October 2017. The buffalo symbolizes the North on the Native American sacred medicine wheel: honoring the ancestors, spiritual wisdom and physical strength, and providing for the community. *
