The city of Playas de Tijuana hosted a 3 day art, music and cultural event in the Parque Mexico, September 4, 5, 6. Artists, musicians, and craftsmen from all over Baja came to share their work with over 3000 visitors. An acre of green parkland was transformed into a mini-wonderland, with booths featuring exotic Indian fabrics, handmade jewelry, and unusual paper sculptures. A huge paper machete balloon floated above the crowd, a little train, filled with children, circled the park. A masked jester walked around on stilts.
Reminiscent of Woodstock, Hare Krishnas wandered through the crowd, chanting and playing music. Young people wore tye-dye T-shirts, young women wore long dresses and flowers in their hair.
Sr. Cesar Borja, the Director of the Festi-Arte 2009, told the Baja Times that there were 5 sound stages. Visitors enjoyed their choice of music: classic, rock, and electronic rock. On Saturday, the famous Mexican opera singer, Marco Delabastida performed for the crowds. The younger folks had punk rock star Juan Padilla, sporting a Mohawk haircut and an interesting all latex and leather outfit, to entertain them, on a different stage of course.
Several special groups were present, including the Literary Arts students from the University of Baja California. At the next table, the Playas Ecology people had information and displays.
Everywhere were tables covered with beautiful handmade jewelry. One craftsman made jewelry out of re-cycled items, another came from Guadalajara, bringing delicate handmade beaded jewelry.
Several tables were covered with fine silk fabrics, incense, and pictures from India. One gentleman showed us a small metal bowl. He tapped the bowl with a wooden wand, and explained that the unique ringing sound was used by Tibetan monks to “change vibrations and purify the air”
A number of fine artists from all over Mexico shared their incredible work with the festival goers. Alex Barra, from Mexico City, exhibited unusual black and white high gloss paintings, depicting, he said, “Angels at Work”. These angels were not ordinary angels, Alex told the Baja Times, but real angels, or how he imagined real angels would look when their we’re dealing with serious problems. Incredible, surreal images of another world gave this artist’s paintings a feeling of passion and drama.
Carlos Sanchez, of Mexico City and Tijuana, showed us very unusual paintings and sketches that he said “were inspired by dreams”.
Rosarito artists Jorge Luna, Rocio Hoffman, and Judith Esparza brought samples of their fine art to the event. Jorge Luna, whose work is on display at the Santini Galleries, just south of Rosarito, sculpts in glass. “I have been doing this work for 40years”, Jorge told the Baja Times. “Glass is clear, and pure, and a beautiful to work with.” Luna’s sculptures are quite incredible, and it is amazing to see how he has created figures and even tiny worlds, carved into a piece of glass.
Judith Esparza specializes in oil paintings. Judith takes her inspiration from nature, and many paintings have a feminine quality. Her work is on display at the Rosarito Beach Hotel Galleries.
Rosarito artist Rocio Hoffman was also at the festival. Famous for her watercolors, Rocio also paints portraits of animals, capturing their personalities in bold strokes of color.
Fine arts photographers also had their work on display at the festival.
Enrique Tinolo, from Mexico City had a collection of very powerful, unusual photos of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransico. He told the Baja Times that he specializes in urban photography. Graphic artist and photographer Jorge Ledezma display featured photos of live models in surreal surroundings. Photographer David Castillo, of Tijuana, displayed “urban landscape” photos, which included some incredible shots of Ensenada. Other talented photographers presenting their work were: Patty Roa, who travels all over Baja to capture incredible landscape photos, and Tijuana based Sarahi Cabello, who had a collection of startling and bold black and white and color photos.
A mime entertained festival guests as they strolled past the mini-galleries. Music filled the air as people from Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada, the United States and south Mexico enjoyed this magical and enchanting Playas art and music festival by the sea.
|
