The packaging of The Colosio

The city of Hermosillo has been in full cultural regalia. We finish the year with pleasing exhibits and artistic presentations. At the beginning of November we were visited by the chronicler of Mexican life, Carlos Monsiváis. In mid-November, we discussed engravings intensely with the painter José Luis Cuevas. At month's end we had the delightful presentation of the Symphony Orchestra of Veracruz, directed by the sublime master De La Fuente. He brought along as soloist, a violinist of only 9 years, a truly remarkable child.

In other areas, beginning of this month, painting exhibits open showing the international movement called Ideorealism, presented by Ivo Jacquier and Yannig Guillevic, of Brittany, France.

We also have a visit of film-maker Gabriel Figueroa, and to close with a silver brooch, we were recently presented with an artistic demonstration on a grand scale. This last event, carried out by the artist Marisela Moreno has caused an unusual amount of heated discussion owing to the fact that she may sanctioned by the City Board of Urban Maintenance for not having obtained permission for her artistic display. Ethically, the law should not be violated, but a little observation tempts one. Still today, we can see political publicity of Roberto Madrazo, Labastida, Lopez Portillo, Enrique Salgado and even our present municipal president Pancho Burquez and that publicity, far from being art, is a vile ecological and visual contamination.

The surprise of the packaging of The Colosio is more pleasing when we see that the movement that includes this type of artistic demonstration dates back to the twenties and arrived at its maximum expression in the sixties with the spectacular covers of Jeanne-Claude of Guillebon and Christo Javacheff. They impressed locals and foreigners alike. Imagine a rocky kilometer of marine coast covered with fabric, or the Pont Neuf bridge in Paris, or the Reichstag of Berlin. For many, the packaging will be an act silliness and will not be considered art. For others it will cause arguments. What is important is that at least a reaction be caused. Personally, I believe that the message has been given politicly and artistically, which is the main thing. Now, I only hope that Marisela, who has presented us her living display and has caused such discomfort among the population and the bureaucrats, adorn us with other manifestations of her art - perhaps a Yucatecan dying of the rot of Texan pollution on Rodriguez Blvd would not be seen badly and would give an ecological argument, as valid as the political argument that caused the packaging of The Colosio.

Perhaps the packaging of all the skeletons of the businesses that flank said central boulevard, skeletons caused by rich businessmen that empoverished and broke good businesses. This would give us an argument against false capital and capitalists. Even better would it be to package the monumental clock erected with town money at a time of crisis by the ex-municipal president Gaston Gonzalez, which would give us an argument against corruption and the absurd municipal administration. Also, so that the fine be worth while, the artist would do us a great favor packaging all the streets of the city. These would be seen better, in itself an argument against unkept political promises by our present municipal president Pancho Burquez. I hope that by sanctioning this artist we don't again merit that phrase that Vasconcelos very justly wrote for the Huastec indian Potosina and not for Sonora: Where the "Carne Asada" begins, culture ends. We expect the sound judgment of the Direction of the Municipality, and we hope also that the artist demonstrate again. Congratulations to Sonora for awakening from her cultural lethargy!