Highlights from Guadalajara, Mexico

Guadalajara recently experienced a series of events that spread fear among the inhabitants of the area and uncertainty in the rest of the country. Several events were cancelled on Sunday, February 22 and a code red was activated in Jalisco for a couple of days. By Wednesday 25, activity had returned in all municipalities, although a sense of risk persisted.

On Saturday 28th, as we had planned since the beginning of the year, we gathered at the intersection of Independencia Street and Paseo Alcalde, next to the work Árbol adentro, by visual artist and vocalist of Cuca, José Fors. The sculpture is based on the poem of the same name by Octavio Paz. The poem begins: “A tree grew on my forehead”.

For me, that point represents an inner and outer encounter. The sculpture and the poem function as a metaphor for introspection, memory and the union between the inner and the outer world. But also, physically, it is a creative meeting point: a place of departure and arrival.

There we gathered around fifty photographers to walk the street. Without fear, without distrust, camera in hand. We walked along one of the main arteries of the city, observing it through our lenses and capturing what was happening.

On the way we met a folkloric ballet group that also decided to take to the streets. We crossed paths with them and photographed their form of expression: dance.

The tour ended at El Palomar, a sculptural work by the Jalisco architect Luis Barragán, which served as a frame to close this first tour of the city.

It was an honor for me, as an ambassador of Tomar la calle, to coordinate this first activity and, above all, to meet talented colleagues who share the same passion.

Miguel A. Avilés