Executive Director
Robin Finley robin@jackmag.com.co
Chief Editor
Jeff Guerra jeff@jackmag.com.co
Communications
Diego Arroyave comunicaciones@jackmag.com.co
Layout Design
Javier Casafus javiercasafus@hotmail.com
Photographers
Picnic Fotografia, Sebastian Quintero, Carlos Valencia, Andres Kaelin, Carlos Andres, Wes MacHardy, Katherin Lopez, Jorge Gallardo Kattah, Carolina Londoño
Writers
Jeff Guerra, Sara Maar, Vivi Palacio, Robin Finley, Sonya Fierst
Illustration
Joni Benjumena
Logo
Jako Corrales
jako.c.mesa@gmail.com
Creative Consultant vivi palacio
Fashion Consultants
Laura Salazar Natalia Uribe
Pre - Press Tecnopress
Printing Grafiarte Medellín
Cover Photography Direction and Production Laura Salazar Natalia Uribe
Photo
Sebastian Quintero
Photo Assistants Christian Bilos Camilo Cano
Makeup
Alejandro Molina
Model
Julia Correa
Email: info@jackmag.com.co Telephone: 311-790-0082 Web: www.jackmag.com.co Jack Magazine is a publication of The Arepa © All rights reserved
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To The Editor
Thanks for letting us do an interview with you guys, we like showing that even though we are from Colombia we can speak English too. Don Tetto
I’m a Colombia-born, Miami-raised, New York City-living social entrepreneur and I’m extremely impressed with the magazine. It’s great to find quality work coming out of Colombia. I hope to see more future issues and you continue breaking stereotypes and bringing new light to the amazing nation that is Colombia. S. Barreneche
The last issue of the magazine was especially poignant for me. Perhaps like all Colombians who are proud of their country, I am always touched by those who work to share it with the world. Thanks for staying committed to Colombia and helping us build a new image. E. Yepes
Jack Magazine Writers We are always on the look out for top-end journalists interested in publishing their work. Drop us a line at info@jackmag.com.co
Subscribe to Jack Magazine In Colombia: Send a “Consignacion” to the “Cuenta de Ahorros - Bancolombia”, indicating account number 3195-4646-575. Then send a copy of the “recibo” to info@jackmag.com.co with a subject heading of “Subscriptions”. Please include your name and address. Price is 30.000 pesos for Medellin and surrounding areas (including Rio Negro, Santa Elena, Santa Fe de Antioquia), and 40.000 pesos for all other cities (Bogota, Cali, Cartagena, etc.)
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Photo: Sebastian Quintero
Getting Jacked Up Wait a minute… what’s going on here? You guys changed the name of the magazine? Why? And why Jack?
Yes, we do owe you an explanation, so here goes. Our U.S. readers out there are surely familiar with the phrase “jacked up”, a unique state signifying extreme excitement that is at once physical, emotional and intellectual. Something can leave you feeling jacked up, but you can also feel the urge to jack others up about something you’ve discovered and want to share. By now you know that this is how we feel about Colombia. And so it is with great excitement that we bring you this first edition of our magazine under its new title, Jack. During two fantastic years as The Arepa we discovered so many other stories worth telling around the country, and now wish to do just that under a name that is not so closely connected to one region as The Arepa is to Antioquia and Medellin. This is not to say we are abandoning our roots; Medellin will continue to be a rich source of inspiration for us as it has been since we launched the magazine two years ago. We simply want to tell its stories in a broader, national context as Colombia continues to attract an increasingly diverse audience around the world. To wit, this edition includes a trip to Cartagena to investigate its fledgling cultural boom, as well as a look into Medellin’s remarkable tango scene. There’s also a surf trip, and a serious look at playful Colombian artist Esteban Garcia. We’re totally jacked up, and we hope you are too.
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MANSION CLUB
TRES CORDILLERAS
Open Friday and Saturday 7pm - 4am Carrera 36 #10 - 37
Every Thursday evening from 5:30 to 9pm 3 Cordilleras offers a tour of the brewery. Calle 30 # 44 - 176. Barrio colombia
Rumbaderos rejoice! Mansion Club has arrived, and with it the opportunity to boogie on down until 4am. Offering a luxurious decor and convenient location just off Calle 10 in Medellin’s Parque Lleras, this new discoteca lets you keep the party going well after most spots close at 2am. Mansion features local DJ residencies and international invitees alike, and you won’t find any of the reggaeton or “crossover” music with which Medellin is currently so saturated. No – this newest addition to the local party scene is all about electronic music, a place for lovers of the boom-tis to come and feel the heat of an incredible sound system. As always, dress to impress is a good general rule if you want to fit in with the beautiful people. Mansion Club is open Fridays and Saturdays only, so take the rest of the week to prepare yourself for a weekend of big-time partying.
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How do you make delicious hand-crafted beer better? With new, limited-edition specialty brews! The award winning Medellin-based microbrewery 3 Cordilleras just released an Indian Pale Ale called “India”, but drink it while you can as this IPA is only around until July 20th. This is the first of many new flavors 3 Cordilleras will be launching this year; each will be available for just three months, packed with a walloping 6.47% alcohol content. The Indian Pale Ale concoction was invented by the British, who added more hops to help the beer last through long sailing trips to India. A few centuries later, 3 Cordilleras has applied their own spin on the IPA with a rich-flavored variety of fine malts. Where can you find it? Head for any restaurant that carries 3 Cordilleras, or your local Exito or Pomona supermarkets.
New Jack Picks In Medellin
CANECO
SARASVATI YOGA
What comes to mind when you think of the Colombian bar scene? Green? Recycling? Not exactly… not until Caneco came along. Located in Poblado near Parque Lleras, this trendy new bar is not easily forgotten. With all of the furnishings made from reused materials, Caneco boasts a clever aesthetic while also reducing environmental impact. Look around and you’ll find a bar made from old propane gas tanks, chandeliers crafted with soda bottles, and chairs utilizing beat-up skateboard decks. Further, a living garden wall adds refreshing verdant charm to this uniquely urban bar. Formed by a group of design students keen on playing hip music, Caneco offers a full line of cocktails, shots, and the house specialty – four different types of sangria. This new concept bar stands in a league of its own, so be sure to stop by for a refreshing change from the same old Friday night hangouts.
Lookin’ to get your stretch on? Check out Sarasvati School of Inbound Yoga in El Poblado. This recently opened studio offers guided Ashtanga and Hatha yoga in addition to specialized prenatal and children’s classes; there’s even a traditional Bharatanatyam Indian dance class available for the more adventurous. Practicing yoga is a great way to start the day, or wind down a late afternoon in blissful seated meditation. Sarasvati instructors Felipe and Isabel studied at Indian ashrams, and focus their practice on spiritual awakening and inner peace. The studio is spacious and well illuminated, and classes offer a balanced combination of exercise and relaxation that appeals to all levels. Sarasvati offers both private individual and group classes, or personalized classes in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Come break a sweat at this peaceful sanctuary!
Open Wednesday to Saturday 6pm - 2am Carrera 37 #10 - 40
Carrera 35#7-61/2 floor El Poblado Tel: 311-5744 sarasvatiyogainbound.blogspot.com
By: Jeff Guerra Photography: Picnic Fotografia
Zarysamba Zarys and Amber use the power of song to explore identity in a powerful and enlightening performance
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The typical Cartagena visitor leaves with little more than a colorful collection of photos snapped from within the city’s walled colonial center. Is there more than meets the eye?
Los Reyes del Piso
one for the tourists, one for the rich, and one for the locals. Each sits on the perimeter of some soft invisible nucleus, for the most part existing both culturally and geographically isolated from the others. The ultimate symbol of this division lies in the city’s immaculately restored colonial center, where a palpable lack of cultural cohesion often confuses visitors who are looking for more than just pretty colors. Much of this confusion is driven by the region’s dramatic economic divide, and Cartagena is of course not alone among Colombian cities in this regard. But this perceived lack of what might be considered a distinctly local cultural “heart” is perhaps better explained by what these three Cartagenas share in common: shaped by colonialism, slave trade, and modern tourism, they are each comprised of elements that come from somewhere else. Most
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pertinent in this case is “the Cartagena for the locals”, many of whom are part of the country’s significant Afro-Colombian population (little known fact: Colombia has the third largest population of African descent in the western hemisphere, behind only Brazil and the United States). With the aforementioned economic divide being drawn along racial lines perhaps more notably here than anywhere else in the country, racism and classism are at times virtually synonymous. Complicating matters is that any arts-driven look at Cartagena leads quickly to this same Afro-Colombian population, a fact that is hardly celebrated by the decidedly nonAfrican economic and social elite. This historic disconnect is key to unraveling the mystery that is Cartagena. But enough with the history lesson; a deeper look unveils the first sparks of a fresh cultural boom, and what makes it all the more fascinating is the sense of an emerging pride among Cartageneros in the value of their own unified cultural capital. Los Reyes del Piso Straight outta Cartacho, these “Kings of the Dancefloor” are one of a growing number of local hip hop collectives
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ld walls are slowing but surely coming down thanks to the confluence of a few major factors, one of which being an energetic new mayor named Judith Pinedo Florez. Taking office in 2008 on a pledge of rooting out long-standing corruption in local politics, she has shifted focus and allocated resources to the sorts of educational, social and artistic initiatives that drove Medellin’s urban resurgence under former
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mayor Sergio Fajardo. Alongside this is a new generation of digital-savvy artists who have taken the cue and begun to connect with global consumers who are always looking for the next cool thing to make a blog post about. The timing of all this is rather poetic; 2011 marks Cartagena’s bicentennial, celebrating 200 years of independence. A perfect example of what’s going on took place last May with Mucho + Mayo, a weeklong festival featuring art exhibits, live dance and musical performances, workshops and poetry readings that was organized by the
them onstage in a heavy tourist area, with the highest quality sound and lighting equipment at their disposal. The goal here is not to simply put on events that come and go, but rather the establishment of a cultural infrastructure that comes from within and becomes selfsustaining over time. So Cartagena is not a finished product – not even close. And that’s what makes it so exciting. The less adventurous tourist can go and walk the well-worn trail to yet another guidebook museum, but here’s a vote for swinging up to the coast and drawing in the first green breath of a new living garden. It’s messy, and there are a few thorns to avoid, but the fruits are delicious. Mayor’s office in conjunction with the Instituto de Patrimonio y Cultura de Cartagena (or “IPCC”, Cartagena’s Institute of Heritage and Culture). More than 50 young artists and performers created works designed to highlight local diversity, and these were given professional presentation in some of the more unique public spaces across the city. To illustrate, IPCC Director Irina Junieles Acosta notes the significance of selecting a talented young crew of Hip Hop break dancers from one of Cartagena’s poorer areas and placing
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should include a stroll through the city’s historic center, but the quantity of restaurants and cafes can be overwhelming. Here are some of our favorite spots within Cartagena’s colonial walls. Don´t miss the full reviews on Jackmag 2.0 jackmag.com.co
Jugosa These guys have done a great job of executing the obvious – offering fresh juices, yogurt smoothies and even cocktails made from the excellent variety of local fruits available right here in Cartagena. Great products and friendly service will always be a winning combination, and Jugosa deserves high marks in both categories. Calle de Ayos 4-50
Tabetai With just five tables and a sushi bar, Tabetai’s relaxed aesthetic and friendly personal attention gives visitors the secret, in-the-know feeling that always accompanies great Japanese food. More traditional than fusion, Tabeti’s menu features generously sized rolls with clever local touches like a dollop of ceviche or even a crisp platano. Calle 2 de Badiillo No. 36-63
Krioyo Live rooftop music and delicious Cuban fare surround a centerpiece garden here in one of
Cartagena’s newest restaurants. Beautifully designed down to the smallest detail, Krioyo’s art café vibe offers both welcome respite during the sweltering afternoon and a cool romantic escape for those warm date nights full of possibility and intrigue. Calle de la Mantilla No. 3 49
La Perla A Cartagena classic,
La Perla is frequented by global epicureans and Colombia’s jet-set alike. This sumptuous and comfortable boutique restaurant features a unique fusion of Peruvian and Mediterranean flavors, resulting in such offerings as crab ceviche and coconut lemonade. Other top treats include sirloin steak with blue cheese, squid ink risotto, and suckling pig. Calle de Ayos, No. 4-42
El Coro This chic yet comfortable cocktail lounge offers a truly inspired bar menu to a distinguished mix of locals, hotel guests and other tourists. Set inside Sofitel’s magnificent Santa Clara Hotel, the space was actually constructed in the 17th century to accommodate nuns during mass. Weekends feature live music and DJs to keep the party going. Calle Del Torno 39-29 17
Media Luna Hostel Located in the Getsemani district just a short walk from the historic center, Media Luna features spacious, clean rooms, wi-fi and even a pool. This is far and away the best place to stay on a backpacker budget; there’s even a magnificent rooftop terrace/bar offering great parties with DJs and live music under the sky. Calle de la Media Luna No. 10-46 La Mulata By focusing on typical “Cartacho” cuisine, chef Jorge Gonzalez has created a legendary lunchtime spot that satisfies all comers at a reasonable price. There’s a mix of Caribbean dishes with something new every day – from mote cheese chowder to tender fish fillets, shrimp with coconut rice, and a plethora of ice-cold fruit juices. Calle Quero 9-58 Oh!... Lá Lá It’s rare to find truly good taste these days, but this French bistro has it mastered with an inspired combination of warm lighting, artistic flair, and a dazzling menu full of delicious options. Oh!…Lá Lá attracts a loyal following of regular diners, many of whom can be seen chatting with the restaurant’s ever-present owners. Calle de Ayos No. 4-48
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By: Sara Maar Photos: Picnic Fotografia
“ Locals and foreigners alike are beginning to discover the waves that roll into Colombia’s coastline, planting a new flag on the map of surf culture.”
The dying embers are still burning from the bonfire the night before. The sun has just risen from behind the Sierra Nevada as hammocks rock to the soothing song of the waves a few feet away. One by one, heads peek out from the sleeping bags as eyes focus on the swell, still hazy from last night’s sleep. If the waves are there, nothing else matters.
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The surfers begin to rise and stretch; there is little talk as morning yawns replace the need for words. Boardshorts are snatched from hammock ropes that serve as improvised clotheslines. Sunblock and wax are ruggedly applied to faces and boards. The surfers wade out and duck dive into the deep blue, while a breakfast of arepas de huevo and coffee awaits them on a long wooden table in the sand.
The best waves in Colombia stroke the sands of the Pacific Coast, but these have gone largely undiscovered due to the region’s remoteness and resulting high-priced airfares. The majority of Colombia’s surfers thus head to the Caribbean when looking for good surf, with the soft sand beaches north of Santa Marta in and around Tayrona Park having become the country’s number one surfing destination. Most of Colombia’s surfers come from coastal cities like Barranquilla, Cartagena, Santa Marta and Riohacha, but there is very little of the territorial animosity that plagues many surf spots around the globe. The best surfers of course get the most respect, but even this loose hierarchy is subordinate to the genuine camaraderie found in the local surfing community. Here, once in the water, place of birth and skill level seldom matter. When the waves are good, surfers leave their daily lives behind to spend a weekend basking in the ocean’s positive energy. Many can be found here on the northern coast where the Sierras meet the sand, spending their nights in hammocks and tents along the beach. Portable cooking stoves and canned food often dictate the meals of choice for these surfers,
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though many opt for one the many campsite restaurants that dot this popular coastal area. There’s a strong connection between locals and the surfers that come from other cities; children look up to them, and will often sit on the beach to watch them surf while imagining what it must be like to catch a wave. Surfers play around with them, offering tips on surfing and sometimes leaving a board or two behind so they might give surfing a try, something many of these children would otherwise never have the chance to do. This interaction between surfers and locals encourages the sport’s practice in such communities, helping elevate its status within the country. There’s a lot of potential for the growth of surfing as a major sport in Colombia with its variety of great beaches, good waves, and young people all over who are willing and ready to learn how to ride them.
Of course this is not to say that it’s a completely foreign activity – surfing was first practiced in Colombia in the late 60’s and early 70’s. But even after a few decades there’s still a lack of certified instructors, well-organized surfing events and judges, sponsorship and affordable gear. Those who want to get certified as instructors or judges must travel to other countries such as Ecuador or Peru, and the surfing events that do end up taking place in Colombia lack sponsorship and are often poorly organized. Making matters even worse, most of the surfboards have to be purchased abroad as the few that can be found in Colombia are either second-hand or very expensive. This segments the sport, making it available to only those few Colombians who can afford it. There are, however, a number of enterprising surfers who are trying to help spread the sport and its associated culture, exploring new markets to take advantage of the business
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opportunities resulting from such growth. But whether or not surfing grows as a professional sport and reaches commercial heights as a successful business venture, there will always be soul surfers. These are the passionate die-hards who surf for the mere pleasure of surfing, who get up early on Saturdays and set off in search of some remote break to be at one with the ocean for a while. They respect and learn from it, and return to live their lives in the concrete cities with their boards packed and waves in their heart, planning for the next time they can get away.
www.feriadelasfloresmedellin.gov.co www.medellin.travel feriadeflores@medellin.gov.co SubsecretarĂa de Turismo 385 69 66
Jack Radio 101.9 FM Saturdays - 9 PM Jack Radio features local artists and music from around the world. jiggydrama.com
Born to a fanatic music-collecting father on San Andres Island, singer/ composer Jiggy Drama grew up listening to a range of musical sounds from Kool & The Gang to Caribbean rhythms. He admits to having his life change upon discovering the Black Entertainment Television network and finding Hip Hop, R&B and Dancehall, sounds he would later fold in with his unique blend of reggaeton and tropical rhythms. Offering a fresh and organic-sounding alternative to mainstream commercial latin music, Jiggy’s is a thoughtful and artistic take reflected in his neoprep attire (he claims to be the only Latin American member of the “Nerdcore” movement). Catch him now, before he totally blows up!
Red Bull’s International Manny Mania Comes to Medellin Colombia’s blossoming skate community still enjoys the perks of relative anonymity, mostly avoiding unwanted attention from public vigilantes and the skater-hating architects who install anti-slide mechanisms on park benches. Those who ride here are still able to do so with an enviable amount of enthusiasm and creativity, which they surely hope continues as the scene begins to attract international attention. With skate schools and major industry brands such as Flip, Volcom and Vans already arriving in Colombia, the craze is being further fueled by social sites such as Skatecol.com and its website full of skate maps and minidocumentaries. Now, a major competition represents the final step to credibility.
Sponsored by Red Bull Colombia, Manny Mania will give 100 skateboarders the opportunity to compete for a single spot to represent Colombia in the 2011 global finals in New York City on August 20th. Red Bull is sparing no expense in search for the world’s most wicked skater; in addition to Colombia, the tour covers North and South America, Europe and Asia. Come June 19th Medellin’s Parque de los Deseos will thus serve as extreme sports ground zero for all of Colombia as international judges will be in the city to find the best flips, slides, grinds and aerials. So go get your board and show your stuff – now’s the time for all those scraped knees and elbows to pay off.
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dresanmillojara.tumblr.com
The Works of Dresan Millojara Women and death are two of the bigger topics in traditional Colombian discourse: just pick up the tabloids or listen in on any street-side conversation. These iconic elements run up against one another in painter Dresan Millojara’s newest series, Mujeres y La Muerte. After studying design at the Colombian university UPB, he renounced graphic arts the day after graduating and soon thereafter found himself at the Chelsea College of Arts in London. Now back in Medellin, Millojara has struck out on his own by producing independent exhibits
on his own terms rather than going through a commercial agent or gallery. He recently held his first exhibition on the third floor of an old empty house; it was there that we had the chance to sit down and talk with Dresan about his background and work. J: Talk about your decision to turn away from your design background and towards painting. DM: I was never into the idea of working in front of computers, especially for hours at a time. I suppose it was your classic rejection of the 9 to 5 world. J: How did your time spent studying art in London affect your outlook and work? DM: London was a huge inspiration, quite a drastic change from Colombia. More than anything I found that paining was my calling. J: Let’s talk about your Women & Death series. There are all these juxtapositions – women (traditionally symbols of creation) against death, pale drawn bodies against colorful skulls… DM: When I began this series I was in a period where I noticed my subjective reality was much more surreal than the concrete reality I knew other people were operating in. So I focused on what I love most in the world – women. I work a lot with opposites, so for me it was an exploration of life and death. That’s my way. J: Any plans for new works/series? DM: For my new exhibition I am working on portraits of people with their personal keepsakes, putting the objects in the same frame as the person to create a tension between the two.
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Lives in Colombia
olombia’s love affair with tango dates back to the earlier half of the 20th century. Its popularity originally spread in 1935 when the godfather of tango, Carlos “El Mago” Gardel, died in a plane crash at Medellin’s Olaya Herrera airport. Gardel’s precipitous death left a legacy of nostalgic fans
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By: Sonya Fierst
and a passion for tango that has continued to flourish in years since. Patio del Tango is one example, a milonga bar in Barrio Antioquia located near the site of Gardel’s crash. Older aficionados gather at this classic joint to drink wine on Friday afternoons and mourn the days of tango’s most revered
Photo: Carolina LondoĂąo
singer. The place is charmingly old-fashioned; wooden tables checker the floor and photos paying homage to Carlos Gardel adorn the surrounding walls. Patio del Tango is one of Medellin’s most beloved tango bars, and the inviting atmosphere compensates for its precarious location in one of the city’s rougher neighborhoods. During the day this innocent-
looking restaurant and lounge serves juicy sirloin steaks, but come Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights it springs to life with friends conversing over a bottle of wine while couples take the floor and twirl sensually to live music. The old-school vibe at Patio del Tango is distinct from that found at other tango spots around
the city. In downtown Medellin, near the San Antonio metro station, passers-by are drawn to tango sounds seeping out from Salón Malaga. Live shows draw a diverse crowd on weekends, while downstairs the serious folks at A Puro Tango gather daily to practice salon style moves. Of the many schools that teach tango in Medellin, this professional dance company is notable for having earned national and international recognition. Most of the dancers have trained and competed abroad, some making their way to Argentina’s finest companies. A Puro Tango offers private lessons and public classes, and their dancers perform regularly around Colombia.
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Northeast of the center, in Barrio Manrique, a life-sized statue of El Mago hovers at the entrance to La Casa Gardeliana. This bar is known for hosting popular dance shows and live bands, while also serving as a small history museum featuring personal items of the Argentine icon and other tango-related memorabilia. One late afternoon in April, Asdrúbal Valencia Giraldo, a self-proclaimed tango enthusiast and frequenter of Patio del Tango, described what he sees as a generational rift between younger Tangoists and their older, more traditional counterparts. He said that while he and his friends, all members of The Gardelian Association of Colombia, enjoy listening to tango and connecting to sentimental stories of tragic love, they rarely dance to it. “These days tango enters the bodies of young people through their feet and eventually it might reach
Photos: Andres Kaelin
their head. For us, the music enters our heads and rarely makes it down to our feet.” Indeed, tango classes have become increasingly popular among young people in Medellin. But according to Estfanía Arango, a dance teacher and member of A Puro Tango, passion for the dance goes much deeper than elegant footwork. “Tango isn’t just about learning a combination of steps. It’s something that comes from the heart. To be a good dancer one must feel a connection to the music and the message behind it. It’s a lifestyle.” In June, Medellin will hold its annual International Tango Festival. Hundreds of artists will pay tribute to Carlos Gardel and celebrate the tradition of Colombian tango, thereby staking Medellin’s claim as one of Latin America’s acclaimed tango hotspots.
Tango in Medellin 5th Annunal Festival Internacional de Tango June 24 - 27, 2011 medellin.gov.co
For Tango classes chetango.org salonmalaga.com companiaapurotango@gmail.com
In Languages of Art, a text that would become iconic in 20th century aesthetic theory, American philosopher Nelson Goodman asked whether it is art’s practicality, playfulness or communicability that makes it important and attractive. He pointed out, “…what all three miss is that the drive is curiosity and the aim enlightenment… what compels is the urge to know, what delights is discovery…” By vivi palacio The contemporary art world has its share of wire-rimmed sourpuss critics; Colombian artist Esteban Garcia invites them to let their hair down.
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The works of Esteban Garcia are reminders that art is about fun, and also about the everyday mysteries and games that challenge the imagination and question the way we construct thought and knowledge. Garcia is a Colombian-born artist currently working in Indiana while completing Doctoral studies in Electronic and Time-Based Media. Also known as Snebtor, he has undertaken a hybrid
enterprise through digital art works, video-projection pieces, sound projects and experimental efforts. In his words, he is interested in working “with new media tools using performance, interactive devices and drawings.” Ultimately he is a mixer — blending images, sounds, games and viewer participation/ interaction. Art as fun and “sense of play” are neglected subjects within contemporary art discourse; this is especially true in countries like Colombia, where art is regularly tasked with addressing sociopolitical matters. Esteban Garcia bucks this dour trend with drawings and illustrations that are playful, spontaneous, wicked and joyful. To wit: lettuce with a face that spells out “philosophers disagree on the concept of beauty”, a house made of waffles entitled “road trip”, and fluorescent green and pink underwater creatures. They are quick works that reveal childlike pleasure and enjoyment. Carrying play still further, Garcia also explores the possibility of a parallel experience in creating collaborative fantasy fictions. His role-play live acts combine music and video projections with his own character portrayals: The Dead Druglords, The Meatballz, and most recently, Revenge Eternal. The Meatballz, a project in collaboration with Aaron Nemec, is a cartoon band that combines music and comics about meatballs and sauce parties. Italian theorist Francesco Careri believes that sense of play and free creative activity allow us, “to design aesthetic and revolutionary actions that undermine or elude social control.” Even the simplest of games can be vehicles of knowledge; Garcia’s works can thus be seen in this context as playspaces of the collective mind and culture.
P.H.I.L. is an animatronic groundhog made, “in response to PETA’s petition to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a robot”. Each year, Groundhog Day is celebrated in the U.S. town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and features a groundhog named Phil that is used to prognosticate the weather. According to tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, he has predicted six more weeks of winter. If Phil does not see his shadow, he has predicted an early spring. Garcia’s P.H.I.L. is programmed to constantly run away from his shadow — a permanent winter prognostication. Rather innocent on the surface, works such as P.H.I.L. and a 3-D game called Beto the bt corn are calls to rethinking our interaction with the natural world. Esteban Garcia’s works are equal parts programming technology, computers, pencil and paper – they invoke sense of play while revealing much more in their underlying examination of the construction of knowledge. Check out more of Esteban Garcia’s work online: snebtor.chiguiro.org
P.H.I.L.
Poking fun at modern folklore, this robotic groundhog is a take on the famous weatherpredicting rodent.
The Meatballz
Combining music, art and performance, this alternative rock band needs no spaghetti.
Beto The BT Corn
This little guy is actually a lo-tech video game that points out our growing international fixation with corn syrup.
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By: Robin Finley
Illustrations: Joni Benjumenea
Comelon Glutton, or more colloquially, pig. The implication here is this is someone who just never stops eating. Snacking ten minutes after lunch? Carrying chicharron in your pocket? You might be a comelon.
Flacuchenta More than simply thin or slender, this is usually someone with a strikingly tall and bony structure. Flacuchenta is a pretty apt word to describe those frail, lanky supermodels on the runway.
Culona A woman with a huge butt. Some are of course born this way, but culona is most fittingly reserved for someone who has turned to cosmetic surgery in pursuit of a ridiculously large booty.
Jorobado Whether caused in youth or through a degenerative spinal cord condition at old age, the hunchback is seldom popular outside of the Notre Dame Cathedral. In Colombia this unsightly back curvature is called Jorobado.
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There are so many ways to describe people beyond “nice” and “funny”; here is a small selection of terms applied to those unique characters we come across in daily life.
Dienton The term bucktooth is used when one big tooth is flapping out, whereas bucktoothed is the inbred cousin whose entire mouth is bulging out like Bugs Bunny. Dienton accurately captures them both. Cuerpo de pera Pear-shaped body. For many this is caused by lack of exercise combined with too much time sitting in front of a computer, resulting in thighs that flare out like the bottom curve of a ripe pear.
Papa sin sal Potato Without Salt – median height, median weight, average features, generic clothes; nice and normal in every way. This is your average nine-to-five pencil pusher with no particular taste, incredibly boring and painfully dull. Dormilon Sleepy, or sleepyhead. Dormilons love to sleep and will do so until 2:45 in the afternoon if given the chance. The typical nap-loving dorlimon will find a place to sit and rest whenever possible. 47
2011 World Cup Sub-20 After successfully hosting the 2010 South American Games, Colombia is now set to stage the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup of Soccer. 24 national teams comprised of top players under the age of 20 have competed and qualified to reach this final tournament, which traditionally features some of the game’s best rising stars. The U-20 kicks off July 29 and runs until August 20; here is a look at the venues that will be hosting matches across Colombia. colfutbol.org/copamundialsub20
Estadio Atanasio Girardot Cap. 53,335
Medellín Antioquia
Colombia’s second largest city boasts excellent weather and tourism infrastructure. It is also home to a rabid soccer public, fueled by a local club rivalry between Atletico Nacional and Independiente Medellin.
Estadio Pascual Guerrero Cap. 34,600
Cali Valle del Cauca
Known mostly for salsa, Cali is also referred to as the sports capital of Colombia after hosting several major international tournaments and producing many of the nation’s top athletes and teams.
Estadio Centenario Cap. 26,000
Armenia Quindio
One of three cities that form Colombia’s coffee growing axis, Armenia sits below lush mountains that have helped train top climbing cyclists who annually compete in events such as the Tour de France.
Estadio Nemesio Camacho el Campin Cap. 40, 312
Bogotá Cundinamarca
The nation’s capital and cultural center will host the tournament final, appropriate since two of its three soccer clubs, Millonarios and Santa Fe, have combined to win 19 national championships.
Estadio Hernan Ramirez Villegas Cap. 36,500
Pereira Risaralda
Pereira’s wide variety of bars and nightclubs give it a vibrant nightlife scene that is popular with locals and visitors alike. It is also home to the nation’s largest zoo.
Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Melendez Cap. 49, 612
Barranquilla Atlántico
The biggest stadium in the tournament will be surely be rocking – people in Barranquilla are famous for the exuberance on display every year in their world-class carnival.
Estadio Palogrande Cap. 36, 553
Manizales Caldas
As the main production center in Colombia’s coffee region, Manizales can rightfully claim to be the coffee capital of the world. A number of fairs and international events add to its great appeal.
Estadio Jaime Moron Leon Cap. 28, 530
Cartagena Bolívar
Always a popular tourist destination, Cartagena boasts an emerging cultural infrastructure to go along with its beautifully restored colonial downtown area. But pack your shorts – it’s hot!
Mai Petit “I’ve always loved lingerie; I think underwear is just as important as regular clothes,” notes Laura Salazar, Mai Petit’s young founder and designer. Still finishing her studies at UPB in Medellin, Laura started her line of undergarments a year ago as a romantic yet comfortably fitting alternative to tight thongs and push-up bras. Befitting lingerie’s overall purpose, these supremely feminine designs whisper sex appeal rather than shouting it in your face. The Mai Petit line is sold exclusively through direct contact; Laura’s first two collections sold out quickly to clients ranging in age from 15 to 50.
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Chickend The shirt is the quintessential male garment; as such it is the only thing Chickend is concerned with. Featuring limited collections that are sharp and cool, founder/designer Daniel Anzola has taken a stand against the generic, mass-produced designs so prevalent in Colombian menswear. He is already distributing his all-male apparel line in Barcelona, Bogota and Medellin after having launched the brand just over a year ago. Chickend is currently available in Bogota at La RoperĂa, and in Medellin at The Blend Shop.
Photo: Archivo Cartel Urbano/Jorge Gallardo Kattah
Where’s the party? Just follow El Freaky! Focusing on premium latin grooves, this collective is coming on strong as one of Colombia’s leading creative elements. We checked in to get the full scoop. J: So just what is El Freaky? EF: We’re an audio-visual collective that launched two years ago as a monthly party in Bogota. We organize regular parties and events, and just produced a free mixtape for Shock magazine featuring top musical acts from Colombia, Latin America and the USA. J: Do your events typically have an overall aesthetic or theme? EF: An artist named Fat Suggar is responsible for our visual aesthetic; as for the parties, we tend to do things with a typically Colombian theme such as an event we put together in tribute to a drink called Viche, which is popular here on the Pacific coast. J: Who are some of the more memorable invited guests you’ve had? EF: Well, it’s like when you have children – difficult to choose a favorite. Some of the events have been more calm, others more crazy
and full of energy, but they’re all special to us. Some of the more important names include Chocquibtown, who played at our Halloween party last year; Frente Cumbiero and La Mojarra Electrica, Bomba Estereo’s DVD recording, Toy Selectah, Frikstailers, Sean Paul and Calle 13, so many others.... J: Apart from the local artists you promote, how do you choose which artists to bring from outside Colombia? EF: We definitely try to bring artists who have fans down here, fans that follow them in ways that not even the artists themselves are sometimes aware. When Uproot Andy came and played his version of the song “Abrazame”, everybody was singing along and this obviously made a big impact on him. J: What are the big upcoming events you guys have in the works? EF: Right now we’re about to do our second anniversary party in Bogota, which will feature Mr. Pauer, Pernett and another surprise invited guest. After that we’ll take the anniversary to Cali and then Medellin. Then in July we’ll be going to New York, so the Big Apple will know about a Colombian collective called El Freaky! facebook.com/elfreaky
Moving from house to soul to furious latin beats, DJ/Producer Sabo is a man determined to make you move. Boasting an impressive catalog of remix projects and original releases, he is increasingly identified as a pioneer in the emerging Moombahton genre. We sat down with him during his recent tour through Colombia. J: So where did you get all this love for latin beats? S: I think it started when I was 15 and did an exchange program in Spain. I was exposed to many new sounds on that trip, and also went to my first true club. I came back speaking Spanish nearly fluently, and remained drawn towards the music in that language and the people who love dancing to it. J: Okay, lay it out for our readers – what in the world is Moombahton? S: It’s a relatively new genre that fuses heavy club sounds with latin percussion and rhythms, most notably the “dem bow” of Reggaeton, at a slower, more bass-heavy tempo. It was created/discovered on accident when my friend Dave Nada slowed down the Dutch house anthem “Moombah” while DJing at a party in Washington, D.C. The original beat
had a Reggaeton syncopation, but at that slower tempo it had a much fuller bass, and the synths were more hypnotic. Reggaeton itself has recently moved toward a “blingbling” auto-tune imitation of mainstream hip hop, and I think that’s ultimately what made it lose popularity in the U.S. Moombahton is the dirtier, crazier cousin that Reggaeton has needed for years, to keep people dancing in the big clubs outside of latino communities. J: Let’s talk about your label, Sol*Selectas. S: I started Sol*Selectas back in 2006 as a vinyl-only white label bootleg operation; I was making my own remixes and mash-ups and wanted an outlet to release them. Despite the positive response and decent sales, it became harder over time to keep pressing and selling the vinyl, and after my 10th vinyl release I switched to digital only. This lowered the costs immensely, which opened the door to creating and releasing more music. The goal is to just keep releasing music that I think is good, that people will enjoy and dance to. soundcloud.com/djsabo twitter.com/djsabonyc solselectas.com
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