AGUA´0: PROYECTOS Y CONCURSOS

AGUACERO

Este nombre surgió por la necesidad de identificar el grupo. La intención inicial era utilizar el nombre del Distrito de aguablanca, pues la mayoría de los integrantes residen allí. Entre todos se llevo a cabo un debate, en el cual se descartó aguablanca debido a su significado negativo en la ciudad y el grupo quería identificarse con una palabra que no nos llevara a la estigmatización.
En ese debate surgieron otros nombres derivados de la primera palabra que compone el nombre del Distrito, la razón de encontrar nombres asociados con la palabra agua, es conservar el sentido de pertenencia al lugar donde residimos; de todos los nombres que surgieron, fue aguacero (agua´0) el escogido por decisión del grupo. Lo interesante del nombre, es que tiene implícito un doble sentido: aguacero como abundancia y agua-cero carencia de …

FOTOS DEL CONCURSO

El pasado mes de septiembre el grupo el grupo Agua`0 participo en un concurso de fotografía cuyo tema “Imaginarios de Ciudad”, organizado por el Centro Cultural Comfandi; el objetivo era mostrar costumbres y tradiciones en nuestro entorno. El grupo participó con 5 series de fotos compuestas por los siguientes temas: las mujeres y el trabajo, los niños, y la biodiversidad cultural y étnica.

Por Jimena:

Mujeres y el trabajo:

Niños:

El trabajo:

PROYECTO AGENDAS

Este proyecto consiste en elaborar agendas a partir de cuadernos escolares, utilizando una serie de recursos, como el dibujo, la pintura, el lienzo, etc para poder asi comercializarlos y hacer que el grupo sea cada vez mas reconocido.

Mexican Night

I have many good friends who are "undocumented" and mostly Mexican that work in restaurants and other businesses throughout Philadelphia. Because of the long hours they work, they can never make it to any of my shows so I decided to have a "Midnight Reception" for them. It was also my amigo Mexicano "Pedro's" birthday, so we combined it into one big party where Colombia met Mexico. I was happy that my buddies finally got a chance to see my work and that of my students, and even happier that so many other people came out as well.

Below is a pic of me and "Pedro" as well as one of me with my brothers of Gamma Phi Sigma, Hermanos Unidos, Fraterity, Inc. Plus the dancing queen, my mom, was back in action as you can check out in the video clip.

My Show Opening

My opening on First Friday was amazing with hundreds of people coming through Third Street Gallery. There was authentic Colombian snacks provided by Colombian Bakery as well as lots of cumbia and vallenato, traditional Colombian music. I was happy to see so many people come out and support my students and me. What made my night, however, was having my mom in town to be there with me. Below is a pict of (from l to r) my aunt Lucy, me, my mother Amparo, my cousin Lydia and my cousin Gilberto.




Below is a little low-rez video clip showing the crowd that was going through the gallery all night long.

Getting Ready for My Show

Now that my students from Grupo Agua 0 have had their show in Colombia, it is time for me to get ready for my show next month at Third Street Gallery in Old City, Philadelphia. I'm excited to be showing all new work from my last few trips to Colombia. Also, these are black and white traditional silver prints, most of which were printed by renowned master printer Robert Asman. In addition to my work there will be select images from Grupo Agua 0, the first time their work will be displayed outside Colombia. The title of our show is Colombia: Nuestro Pueblo or Colombia: Our Home. It demonstrates the different perspectives my students and I have when we look at the city of Cali, Colombia: a place we all consider home.

Miradas Pacíficas/Pacific Views

Here are a few images from the exhibition. To see all of them go to our new Flickr page. There are actually two different groups of students showing work in this exhibition. Besides my usual group from Aguablanca, the other is from the corrigimiento (suburb) of Los Hormigueros.

Exhibit Time!

Last week the students had their culminating exhibition titled: Miradas Pacíficas (Pacific Views) in conjunction with La Festival de Patronio Alvarez. This festival celebrates the culture and particularly the music of Colombians from the Pacific coast. The photographs dealt with that theme and we took a few trips to places with strong Pacific influences, Los Hormigueros and San Cipriano. Anyway, the exhibition was a huge success. Here are images from the opening. I'll post images from the show directly.


We served Arechón, a drink from the Pacific, at the opening. It reminds me of Puerto Rican Coquito, which is like egg nog but with a serious kick.


Astrid shows off some of her photographs.


There was also an awesome dance performance by a local group.

Below is a photo of me along with Hermán and his wife Claudia representing Foto Ackermann, one of our sponsors. For the 2nd year they donated the printing of the photographs for the exhibition.

ESPERA/Waiting by Lisseth

Esta foto fue tomada en la galeria santa Elena ubicada al sur oriente de cali, ella es una señora que vende gallinas. Me gustaba la expression de la señora, se ve pensativa.

This photo was taken at the Geleria (Market) de Santa Elena located in the southeast of Cali. She is a woman selling chickens. I liked her pensive expression.

A LA OREDEN/At Your Service by Lisseth

Ella esta organizando las frutas que vende, me gusto el color y la composicion. Es un trabajo arduo inicia desde la madrugada.

This woman is organizing the fruit that she sells. It is an arduous job beginning very early in the morning. I liked the color and composition of the photo.

EL CARNICERO/The Butcher by Anna Christina

Me impacto la sangre que tenia el señor en su ropa.

I was impacted by the the blood this man had on his shirt.

LOS MOROCHOS/Workers by Anna Christina

Me gusto la pose del morocho con los platanos en el hombro.

I liked the pose of this worker with the plantains on his shoulder.

EL TROMPO/ The Spinning Thing by Paola

Por mi casa hay un cancha para jugar futbol y recrearse. Pero despues fue invadida, construyeron casas y ya no fue possible volver a jugar alla. El lugar se volvio peligroso y eso me gusto de la foto porque las niñas igual lo disfrutan. Tal vez porque la inocencia no permite reconocer el peligro.

Near my home is a soccer field and playground. But then it was overrun by houses that were constructed and it wasn't possible to play there anymore. It became a dangerous place and that's what I like about the photo because the girls were having fun anyway. Maybe it is because their innocence doesn't allow them to recognize the danger.

BAJO LA LLUVIA/In the Rain by Paola

La foto con las niñas, el laso y la lluvia me parece interesante. Pues aquellas estaban jugando antes de llover. De un momento a otro el cielo se oscurecio y empezo a llover, ellas continuaron.
Me gusta la energia que proyectan porque el clima no las intimido.

This photo with these girls jumping rope in the rain was interesting to me. They were playing before it started raining. Then from one moment to the next the clouds came and it started to rain, but they kept jumping rope. I like the energy they have because they didn't let the weather bother them.

EL VIEJO/Old Man by Karol

Me gusto esta foto por que al pasar por la galeria vi este anciano que apesar de su edad no se le dificulta trabajar vendiendo verdures.

I liked this picture because in the market I saw this old man that has no difficulty selling vegetables despite his age.

MANANTIAL DE VIDA/In the Prime of Their Lives by Oliva

En nuestro barrio hay varios grupos de ancianos, este es uno de ellos.
Se reunen en las mañanas para hacer ejercicio y luego se van algunos de ellos a trabajar en la huerta comunitara que queda ubicada en la parte trasera de la cancha.

In our neighborhood there are various groups of seniors, this is one of them. They meet in the morning to exercise and later go to work in the community garden nearby.

EL CARRETILLERO/ Delivery Man by Oliva

Este hombre tiene el oficio de carretillero, hace viajes de remesas, materiales de construccion, tambien hace trasteos. Cuida de su caballo, porque este es su principal fuente de empleo.
This man works delivering things like construction supplies and also does salvage from what people throw away. He takes care of his horse because it is his livelihood.

SELVA DE CEMENTO/Concrete jungle by Diana

El Puente de la quinta me permite contenplar la belleza artistica y arquitectonica de mi ciudad rodeada de naturaleza pura.

Standing on a bridge on 5th Avenue allows me to contemplate the beautiful architecture of my city surrounded by natures purity.

SANGRE VERDE/Bleeding Green by Diana

Cali es Cali. Nuestro futbol corre por las venas grandes y chicos llevamos el color de esperanza que une todos los colores de piel solo CALI.

Cali (one of 2 Cali professional soccer teams) is Cali. Our soccer team runs in our blood and young and old wear green with hope which unites all the different people of Cali regardless of the color of their skin--only Cali.

REFLEJO de MI PADRE/Reflection of my Father by Yesid

Tome la foto por la luz en el rostro de mi padre.

I took this photograph because of the light falling on my father's face.

EL FAROL/The Lamppost by Yesid

Tome la foto por que al momento de ver el farol pasaba una nube y me parecio chevere.

I took this photograph because in that moment I saw a cloud passing by the lamppost and I thought it looked cool.

EL PAISAJE/Landscape by Anna Christina

La tome porque me gusto el contraste de los colores.

I took this because I liked the contrast of colors.

EL VIEJO Y LA CALLE /Old Man in the Street by Anna Christina

Esta foto la tome por el contraste que encontre entre los indigentes que estaban en la avenida 6, que es una parte de cali de personas de modo.

I took this photograph because of the contrast between the homeless people on 6th Avenue and the part of Cali they are in which is very wealthy .

SOLITARIO ENTRE COLUMNAS/Alone with Columns by Lisseth

Me gusto por que esta foto muestra a un anciano en las afueras de esta casa sin hacer nada esta situacion causa melancolia.

I like this because this photograph shows an old man outside this house doing nothing. It makes me feel sad.