|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 26, 2011 8:31:59 GMT
Ahhhh ~ it's beginning! The lights on the cathedral are turned off & it gets very dark. A little blurb from the state government ~ And the subtle beginning ~ I did get one bit of video, which I'll intersperse with the pictures further on, but didn't bother trying to capture everything that way. That's because I knew there had to bevideos done with better cameras than mine on youtube, plus I wanted to enjoy the event through my own eyes. I loved this so much that I'll definitely be going back in the next few days, but without the camera so that I can just drink it in. I hope you all will want to look at my presentation, but will tell you now that I'm posting the full video at the end. Truly, neither photos nor video can capture the sheer, transportive magic of this event. If one of these multimedia shows comes to your town, absolutely do not miss it. Near the beginning of the show, the narration began. The essence of it was that this was an artistic representation of the crafts of Oaxaca: filigree work, pottery, alebrijes, tinwork, and embroidery. There were other references worked in, from day of the dead traditions to local painters to Mesoamerican pictorial writing.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 26, 2011 8:56:01 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 26, 2011 9:01:31 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 26, 2011 9:07:40 GMT
Short video with good sound. Be sure to view it full screen! This picture is of thousands of monarch butterflies covering the building ........ then they fly off straight toward the viewers!
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 26, 2011 9:17:32 GMT
This part of the show was stunning. It showcased the woven rugs of Teotitlán del Valle. The rugs seemed to unfurl down the front of the cathedral and the illusion of hanging, woven wool was totally realistic. The rugs are followed by the clay art from Atzompa. The last picture in this slide show is of part of a lienzo -- pictorial writing.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 26, 2011 9:24:41 GMT
And on to the finale ~~ Here's a video of the full extravaganza. Ignore the shakiness at the beginning, as it gets better. ~ And that concludes my coverage of this Christmas time in Oaxaca, 2011. ~
|
|
|
Post by tod2 on Dec 26, 2011 11:06:40 GMT
Holy Moly Bixa! What a FANTASTIC! FANTASTIC! FANTASTIC! light show that was! I can't begin to thank you enough for letting us see through your camera lens - the magical event that you saw. WOW & WOW again! You are so blessed living in the vibrant society of your city Oaxaca.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2011 18:34:57 GMT
Absolutely wonderful show. Since we have seen a number of light shows on cathedrals this year -- Askar in Reims, me in Chartres -- it is clearly a new fashion that is probably here to stay on huge public buildings. The first incidence of which I ever read was the cathedral of Amiens. I think the show was static there, but the point was to show how all of the sculptures used to be painted in bright colours, which seems so hard to believe (and tacky) now. But as a temporary projection, the idea is great.
I don't know if designers fight over the paternity of this sort of idea (I expect that they do, though), but my first guess is that it started in France, since the "son et lumière" shows in monuments started there and when you go to places like the pyramids of Giza or Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the shows are made by French companies. I think that the first "sound & light" show that I ever saw was at the château de Chambord in 1960 (I was very very very young, of course), and even now I remember that I was completely stunned by the complexity and the majesty of the show, which was totally primitive compared to what is done 50 years later.
Frankly, I don't understand why there aren't 50 times more of these shows (particularly in techie places like the United States), because everybody loves them.
|
|
|
Post by lola on Dec 28, 2011 4:06:31 GMT
Too amazing, Bixa. Goosebumpy!
I've never seen anything like this in the US. Why not? Not enough castles or cathedrals with nice flat walls?
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 28, 2011 6:49:11 GMT
Thanks so much, Tod! I was completely blown away by the show. Not only was it beautiful & clever, but the deep appreciation it showed for the local arts and crafts gave it a personal feel that was quite moving. Maybe it was because this art form was so new to me, but I actually felt a pleasurable sort of confusion, really "carried away". I thought the same thing that Kerouac says about why couldn't there be more of these, as people love them. I assume they must be pretty expensive to mount because of all the technical stuff & design work involved. Certainly when the credits were run at the end, they were quite lengthy. To be honest, I always mentally turned up my nose at the idea of sound & light shows, thinking they'd be clunky & tacky. And really, just looking at my pictures, I can't say they convey how real the actual show seems. Lola, yes -- it was goosebumpy -- perfect description! Really, the front of the cathedral is not flat and that was part of the magic. Our eyes were so completely fooled by the effects, I'm sure I'm not the only person who forgot how the cathedral really looked. Another consideration would be finding buildings with large enough pedestrian spaces in front of them. The cathedral in daylight:
|
|
|
Post by mickthecactus on Dec 28, 2011 13:20:01 GMT
Because it's so quiet in the office today I have finally had enough time to look right through this remarkable travelogue.
I must save up enough pennies to visit..................
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Dec 29, 2011 5:45:11 GMT
It is amazing to watch the creativity that people have. This display is simply wonderful.
We watched a light show on the Gare de Lyon station when we were in Paris in September, it was some sort of anniversary event and stopped us in our stride, we had no idea what was going on but it was incredible.
Thank you for sharing this event with us Bixa, truly enjoyed every minute of it.
Cheers, Mich
|
|
|
Post by cheerypeabrain on Dec 29, 2011 19:55:23 GMT
Spectacular Bixa my darling, and very well documented...I have really enjoyed this report.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 29, 2011 21:20:04 GMT
Thanks so much to all of you. These long threads really feel worth doing with feedback such as yours.
Mick, yes! It would be incredible to meet you & I know there are many things here that you'd really like. While you're saving up pesos, try to find out what the rules would be on bringing plants back to the UK & what paperwork would be needed to do so.
Mich, what a fun surprise that must have been. Was there a big open space in front of where the light show was? Because of seeing how the towers were set up for projecting here, it makes me think that must be a necessity.
Thank, Cheerykins ~~ that warms my heart!
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Dec 30, 2011 0:45:35 GMT
Yes, the front of the station was barricaded in areas. We were down on the street level looking up at it so we were at a good angle.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Dec 31, 2011 16:38:23 GMT
I suspect that over time we'll get more reports of light shows. The first I knew of them was from a youtube someone posted from Germany, I think. It immediately set up the desire to see one for myself.
It's New Year's eve here -- @10:30 in the morning as I write. Today will be a day of house cleaning & cookie making, preparatory to spending the turn of the year with my next-door neighbors tonight. Tomorrow I'm off to a shared birthday party for a one-year-old & his grandfather. That should be a nice start to the new year.
If there are any fun kings' day celebrations going on, I'll try to capture them & include them here. However, I suspect everyone may be as holidayed out as I am.
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Dec 31, 2011 18:26:51 GMT
Bixa, you should do a thread on birthday parties you attend for 2012! I think you might be surprised at how many you go to and we would love the photos!
After your party on the first, you better get on a plane quick to get up here for my birthday on the 2nd! ha ha!
Cheers my friend! Mich
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jan 1, 2012 7:41:23 GMT
Mich, I would love to do that. The problem is that I don't always feel comfortable taking pictures. There are some people who know why I'm doing it & think it's really cool. Melissa's mother knew that I'd put last year's posada on the web & loved that I was going to share Melissa's birthday party here. Other times, I'm either too well included to distance myself by taking the number of pictures necessary to make a thread, or as in tomorrow's party, I only know a few of the main people & don't want to give offense. Your birthday is on the 2nd of January?! I had a very dear friend whose birthday that was. I'm glad it's yours, too! Well, I had a great time tonight, although I ate like a pig. We had blue corn tlayudas. Tlayudas are enormous tortillas, larger than a dinner plate, spread with all kinds of things -- beans & shredded cabbage were the two main ones tonight -- and heated on an open fire. They were served with grilled meat and with salsa, grilled chiles & spring onions, and guacamole on the side. There was cinnamon-y sweetened coffee and ponche to drink, and we toasted the new year with sidra, fizzy, mildly alchoholic apple cider. The chocolate chip/oatmeal/peanut cookies I brought were a huge hit, thank goodness. (sometimes Oaxaqueños are resistant to "odd" foods). One man even wanted to know how much I'd charge to make up a kilo of them! Here's how the old year was sent out. Warning -- these pictures are kind of creepy, as the figure looks way too human. I was happily snapping away when I noticed that the men lighting the dummy had moved way back. That's because the thing had firecrackers inside it! There were lots of fireworks at midnight. It's 1:35 a.m. here & they're still banging away here and there. Everyone hugged everyone else and wished them a good year, just as I'm sending all of you hugs and warm wishes for the coming year.
|
|
|
Post by nycgirl on Jan 5, 2012 18:40:40 GMT
What a wonderful light show! Your photos and video really capture the magic. I also wonder why that sort of thing isn't popular here. There are plenty of institutions with the financial means to mount a show like this. Maybe our cathedrals aren't right for it.
The dummy does indeed look life-like. When I glanced at the photo before reading the text, I thought, "What in the world is going on?!"
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2012 21:46:04 GMT
That last photo is indeed alarming if you don't have the previous ones to see as well.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jan 6, 2012 4:56:46 GMT
Thanks so much, NYCGirl. You're right about institutions being able to mount this sort of spectacle. And it need not be a cathedral. I'd think any large building with a space that could be cleared in front would do. And yeah -- on the dummy. I almost didn't post those pictures! Well, you all will be thinking of this as The Thread That Would Not Die, but .......... I have more pictures! Christmas season isn't really over here until Three Kings day, which is tomorrow. I went downtown yesterday & took a bunch of really bad photos, which I will now foist upon you. And I'll be going downtown again tomorrow, camera on belt, so be prepared. I found another nacimiento created by a local artisan, this one from the town of Atzompa ~~ Burly baby! Note the sheep at far left -- it's a chia pet. This is in a crafts collective in a lovely colonial building.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jan 6, 2012 5:08:53 GMT
This wonderful tinwork group is in yet another folk art place. I was on Matamoros, which now seems to be lined with these stores. Here I am on the Alameda. What's going on? I asked a cop who was there & she told me it was "the kilometer of toys". Never got the whole story, but these are donations that will be taken to pueblos & distributed to kids who might otherwise not get anything from the Kings. Speaking of the three Kings, here they are! Appreciate this picture -- it cost me 10 pesos. Too bad I don't wear headbands. These are tempting. The bows are lighted from within.
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jan 6, 2012 5:17:18 GMT
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Jan 6, 2012 15:04:34 GMT
Bixa the tin work pieces were exquisite! I also loved the chia pet sheep! The idea of the kilometer of donated toys is wonderful, it visualizes for people the need of donating. Sometimes we just forget, but seeing this, you would run off to a shop and add something. Everything is so well done and beautiful.
Cheers! Mich
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2012 18:23:40 GMT
Good head of hair on baby Jesus in 110!
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jan 7, 2012 18:07:54 GMT
Thank you, Mich! You'd go ga-ga over the tinwork here. Yesterday I saw an exhibition of the local crafts at the highest level of artistry. There were two tin-covered tables that were wonderful. I'll show that stuff in a separate thread. Thanks for encouraging me all the way through this extensive Navidad thread! Isn't that something, Kerouac?! From its color & the fact that it doesn't match any of the other pieces, I think it must have been snatched from a Samson nativity scene. Okay, now I'm really & truly wrapping up this thread. I did go downtown yesterday, but because I was doing other stuff (really cool stuff!), I missed all but the aftermath of Kings' day. A hint that something had gone on that I'd missed. Notice how many people in the picture aren't reacting at all ~ Another set of kings, not nearly as good as those on the 4th ~ The southeast corner of the zócalo ~ And exiting through the southwest corner ~ The whole street on the side of the market was lined with stands selling king cakes ~ ¡Adiós!
|
|
|
Post by mich64 on Jan 7, 2012 18:21:42 GMT
Yes Bixa, I believe I would appreciate seeing the tin work. We do not see items like that around here, I wish there was a website where I could order!
The King Cakes, are they sweet or savory?
Cheers! Mich
|
|
|
Post by bjd on Jan 7, 2012 19:09:30 GMT
Those king cakes must be related to French "galettes des rois". In many parts of France they are made of flaky pastry with frangipane (almond cream) inside. But here in southwestern France, they are made of raised brioche-type dough and have bits of candied fruit in them, and are called "galettes de Limoux". (Limoux is a small town near Carcassonne.)
|
|
|
Post by bixaorellana on Jan 8, 2012 7:06:01 GMT
Mich, I'm passing along these two links with the caveat that I know nothing about them: www.elinterior.com/about.html and www.vivaoaxacafolkart.com/My suggestion is to save your pennies & come do your buying here. The king cakes are similar to Bjd's "galettes de Limoux", except no candied fruit, more's the pity. The ones here are made from the ubiquitous pan de yema, which is sort of similar to challah. My experience with pan de yema is that, unless it's fresh from the oven, it's very dry. One of the ladies selling in the photo above urged me to try her king cake. I took a teeny taste, and sure enough, it was dry as dust.
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2012 18:36:46 GMT
"Galette des rois" or a kings cake might be an immortal tradition in various places, but if you don't like it, no problem. I don't like the galette des rois, although some are not bad and others are abominable, in my opinion.
I abandon traditions such as this if I do not find them to be good.
|
|