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Chino Latino* meets the Angel Baby “Chino Latino* meets the Angel Baby” further explores the ideas put forth in my series A Kai Doy Jook Sing en Mexico defining travel and photography in a meaningful personal way. *One of my Mexican traveling companions called me “Chino Latino” at dinner one night, after seeing what I was photographing in Oaxaca. Maybe it was the Mole. Most of this current exhibition centers on photographs documenting the lives of those in Oaxaca, as they try to regain a semblance of normalcy six months after the political demonstrations and conflicts. I arrived several days after the major rioting and turmoil had stopped, it was close to Christmas and according to news Oaxaca had seen peace for several days. The Canadian and American governments were still advising tourists not to visit, however, I hoped it would be safe due to the significance of the Christmas holiday season in Mexican culture. When I arrived in Oaxaca I saw graffiti being erased or hidden, the normally robust tourist trade non-existent, few Gringos anywhere and souvenir stores that had no one to entice inside. What I experienced in Oaxaca was the remnants of a political uprising that seems to be typical in the Mexican political tradition. Every few years or so there tends to be a flare up caused mainly by the great disparity between rich and poor, privileged and disadvantaged brought about by a corrupt political system that perpetuates itself by sheer force through an outdated and segregating class system. What I did see was an incredible police presence and I felt a sense of unease that that sort of presence brings into a community. In fact just about everywhere I wandered -- the Zocola, the church, the markets -- I encountered numerous police barricades manned mostly by scores of local Oaxacan police but sometimes by the more menacing Federales. I had to wonder whether life was really returning to normal? The air was thick with tension. I was clandestine in the use of my camera, knowing that the police could confiscate my camera at any time and also that many Mexicans don’t like being photographed and might be more recalcitrant in these trying circumstances. But holiday festivities went on, enjoyed mostly by just Oaxacans. The “Angel Baby” wore white, affected a pose and expression reminiscent of the Pope from the Popemobile. He was genderless and a symbol of peace and hope in the local Posada (parade) on Christmas Eve. It was then that I began to wonder if religion could possibly passed on unknowingly or be genetic? Did the Angel Baby somehow soak up genes from a theologian’s gene pool that may have once belonged to the pope? Is it possible that over the generations religion is no longer simply an external experience, but becomes a part of a people on an internal level? Whether it was the religious nature of the holidays or something else, I felt the “Angel Baby” perfectly represented a small glimmer of hope that peace will return to the Oaxacan way of life. What of atheists? Mexican atheists? I didn’t see any in Oaxaca. |
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Front Gallery Hours: First Fridays of the month, 1 pm-10pm p: 510. 444. 1900 |