Coalescing of a trip and Back in the States

Well we have returned now back to the states.
We spent the last week in Buenos Aires and the last few days in Lima. Buenos Aires was an amazingly energetic city full of alternative spaces, galleries, and museums. We spent most of our time their visting all these spaces and discovering a few new favorite artists, Berni, Quinyuelas, and Solana. This city was artistic from the antique stores of San Telmo to the craft fairs surrounding the cultural center of Buenos Aires.

Our last few days in Lima I was reminded how sometimes it takes awhile for an art community to appear. Initially we found Lima to be overwhelming. We were looking forward to returning for our flight. Walking around one night we went into a locally desgined clothing store inside we found a mini art show in a hallway. The people running the store also gave us a clue into the grafiti artists known as "fuma kaca". They were a group of artists that chose to see the city of Barranco as a night time circus in their grafiti imagery and through their costumed street performances they turned the city streets into stage and audience.

The next day as we were leaving we stumbled across a university art show by a collaborative called the "gran olla" which roughly translates into potluck. These three artists two chileans and one peruvian exhibited their work and incorporated community interaction. The artists tried to spend most of their time live at the show. One of the printmakers in addition went out into the streets and cooked local food to share with people. The painter known as Lucuma a sign painting reformed prisoner, created all of his works in the streets of the jungle town Iquitos. We shared contact information with these artists and hope to continue a dialogue.

Being back in the states, I am trying to sort through what this trip has meant for me. I am going through a sort of culture shock. I felt sad to leave honestly.

Countries are like relationships you fall a little bit in love with all their eccentricities and you become angered with their injustices and stubborness to change.

On this trip I did meet my initial goals, I connected with presence and opportunity.. We shared with people, i remebered hope.

Now that we have returned I continue to be humbled by these qualtities in people strength, genorosity, and vision.
A friend of my mothers has kindly offered for Cam and I to stay in a cottage on her property. She is an artist as well. As I sit I am surrounded by: books on Burri and Goldsworthy, her collections of feathers leaves and stones, and the woods. Her work is quiet and fragile just like this house. I hope here will give me time to think.

Sarah