Arte La Calle 2012

Maybe it started with Ana Luisa Ahern or Justin Otero. Maybe Katherine Burdine, Eduardo Umanzor, and Michael Solis all contributed something to the program, but this, folks, is youth led, youth inspired, and youth produced.

Gerald, the scholarship student coordinating OYE's Art Program, put this video together to reflect on just two of the various murals these students realized in 2012. Keep your eyes peeled for Part II of the 2012 videography of Arte La Calle 2012.

OYE's New Mural - El Nuevo Mural de OYE

OYE's Newest Mural

By Chris Benedict

My inspiration for the design came from the work of Shepard Fairey, who is most famous for his widely popular “HOPE” posters during Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.  Fairey, however, is also known for his “Obey Giant” campaign in which he “attempts to enable people to see clearly something that is right before their eyes but obscured; things that are so taken for granted that they are muted by abstract observation.”  Just as his campaign seeks to arouse curiosity and a search for deeper, perhaps hidden meaning, the individual defines the meaning of this artwork, free from any predetermined significance.  “Imaginen Su Futuro,” or “Envision Your Future,” might be intended to encourage the discovery one’s potential, working towards a goal, or any number of things depending on the viewer, things that are right before their eyes though possibly unclear, things OYE can help accomplish.

Volunteers Jenlain Coyle and Chris Benedict

Mi inspiración para el diseño vino de las obras de Shepard Fairey, que es más conocido por sus carteles extensivamente populares de “HOPE,” o “ESPERANZA,” durante la campaña presidencial de Barack Obama. Fairey, sin embargo, también es conocido por su campaña de “Obey Giant,” en lo cual él “intenta posibilitar que la gente vea algo que esté directamente enfrente de sus ojos pero escondidos; cosas que son tan tomados por hecho que son ocultados por la observación abstracta.” Igual a como su campaña busca despertar la curiosidad y encontrar un significado más profundo o, posiblemente, escondido, el individuo define el significado de esta obra, libre de cualquier definición predeterminado. La intención de “Imaginen Su Futuro” podría ser fomentar el descubrimiento del potencial de uno, trabajar hacia un objetivo, o cualquier cantidad de cosas dependiendo del observador, cosas que están directamente enfrente de sus ojos pero posiblemente poco claros, cosas que OYE puede ayudar a realizar.

Universos Diversos: A Dialogue on Gender that Builds our Community

By Martin Calix, OYE Volunteer from Honduras and Writer

Reflections on Gender Equality after the artistic exhibition by the Center for Women's Rights (Centro de los Derechos de la Mujer, CDM) and their project, Universos Diversos.

Exhibition at OYE on Gender Equality by Universos Diversos (Martin Calix)

With the clear intention of breaking of the cultural codes of our society today, women artists in Honduras are contributing to the great struggle for equality between genders. This time, these voices have come from a project that advances the subject, Universos Diversos (Diverse Universes), which brings women and their artwork in the spotlight.

Artistic piece displayed at OYE (Calix)

Universos Diversos emerges as a project that appears as a process rather than as something ephemeral. Initially, the sexual and reproductive rights of women were the main themes and included artistic work and a series of workshops that address these and other issues that affect women.

From the points of view of individual participants in the formulation of collective concepts, up to the creation of artwork, the project is a fascinating and multidisciplinary process that reveals the diversity of feminist thought.

The project ​​generates a process for developing awareness of the creativity of women in the art world.  Until true equality materializes, however, these efforts alone will not suffice.

Monologue performed at OYE in March 2012 (Calix)

I do not mean to discredit Universos Diversos. I believe it is a noble initiative, raising awareness about the problem of violence against women and femicide, revealing the atrocious conditions that many women live through, always respecting their anonymity.

My question is whether art is a necessary tool to raise awareness. In actuality it is only the starting point. What these artists hope will happen in society cannot be accomplished by women's efforts alone. This is when men too need to stand up and take part in the movement, advocating for gender equality.

Aristic piece on display at OYE in March 2012 (Calix)

From the debate that Universos Diversos has generated, it has become evident that humanity's machismo has blinded us for thousands of years. That is why we are still debating the topic of gender equality to this day.

But for how much longer will we need to debate? When will we as humans finally get it right?

For more information, see Martin Calix's blog

Interpretive dance performance at OYE in March 2012 (Calix)

Photography of toy dolls (Calix)

OYE youth engaging in the artistic exhibition

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Artist Capacity

Capacity is a Word that gets thrown around the offices of OYE a lot. We have programs of capacity building and all of our students have incredible capacity, but what does this capacity mean to the people that have it?

I attended a drawing class, part of our new Arte La Calle program, and not only did I receive a great lesson in drawing, but I also had the opportunity to talk with some of the OYE students about capacity. We talked about what it was, and what it means.

By the end of the lesson I realized that its true OYE students have incredible capacity. They described to me what this word means, and according to our scholars, capacity is the potential a person has to do something. Moreover, it is the ability to apply ones self to acquire the knowledge necessary to do that thing.

After talking for a while we came to the conclusion that, while everyone has some capacity, we are not necessarily endowed with the same type of capacity. In this vein, the program of art that I attended today is a perfect example. Gerald, the OYE scholar that was instructing us has an incredible capacity for making and teaching art. When he looks at an object he sees it through the eyes of an artistic and can reproduce its slightest shadow. He can look at an image and see how to draw it with a mind for the shadows and reflections. As a teacher he demonstrates a tremendous capacity of patience with his raucous students. When all was said and done, those of us that participated in his class produced some nice works of art, even if they could not rival those of Gerald. We all had the capacity to produce art, but we might not have realized it without the guidance of Gerald.

This is the type of capacity and capacity building OYE is talking about. Capacity is simply the ability to learn to do. Capacity is nothing without the desire to act, and it is amplified when a helping hand or guidance is lent to another. As we hope to create a village of socially engaged artists through our art program, we hope to create a community of socially conscious and responsible citizens through our capacity classes.

OYE el Ritmo Anniversary concert

OYE el Ritmo students host the 5th annual anniversary concert. Inviting the community to celebrate with local dancers, OYE students and Guillermo Anderson.




Also available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ghm9gUw-Ms

Festival de la Baleadas

This year OYE volunteer, Melissa Quijada, held the first annual Festival de La Baleada.

The baleada is a typical Honduran food that was invented in the northern coast of Honduras. It is a widely celebrated and delicious dish. Thus the perfect image for Melissa's event. Who’s' goal is to create events the uplift Honduran culture, music and art. There was local art, food, incredible local musical talent such as: DayZ, Montuca Sound System, Lita Garifuna, JCD y Franoman, eating competitions and much more! It was a huge success and OYE was there to take part in it all...




Staff and Students set up the OYE booth before heading out to enjoy the festivities. In the booth we shared information about OYE, sold t-shirts and magazines.



This is the 2009 slogan, Mi voz es Poder- My voice is power. On the back of the shirt all of OYE's program logo's are displayed.



This shirt sold like hot baleadas! On the back is says, "Con Huevos, Porfa." OYE left the events with only a handful left so if you are interested check back in about three week!



OYE staff and Students also made this photo op for people to remember the concert and OYE.



This is during one of the many baleada themed competitions that happened throughout the night. Check out OYE's two star representatives, Amer and Ruben were mere bites away from winning the whole competition!



Montuca Sound System stole the show with their smooth fusion reggae style.



Sandra gettin' real with JDC.




This event was a huge success. We are so proud to have been a part of it and can't wait to dance it out at the second annual Festival de la Baleada!

Guillermo Anderson en el corazón

Ayer el día 8 del mes 8 del año 8, a las 8 de la noche, estaba entrando en el portal del corazón de este hombre llamado Guillermo Anderson. Estuve en su concierto dentro de la programación de los 29 años del Teatro la Fragua, una institución hondureña que ha colocado en el mapa de la cultura y el arte a El Progreso. En su sede modesta y rodeada de lo que fueran las instalaciones de un club social de las bananeras, con la lluvia como acompañante, Guillermo hizo de la noche, un momento mágico. Mi referencia de Anderson, está atravesada por la relación que existió en el 2006 entre nuestra organización y el canta-autor, en la inauguración de la exposición "Fotos de mi pueblo". Un proyecto emprendido por Ana Luisa Ahern, fundadora de OYE, como una herramienta para que los niños y niñas, en esa época vinculados a la organización, tuvieran auto-conciencia de su potencial creativo y de la realidad de sus vidas. Guillermo fue el artista invitado al concierto que inauguró la exposición en la Casa de la Cultura.
Ayer reconocí el talento de Guillermo que tanto comentaba Justin Otero y Ana Luisa y no sólo eso, encontré a un ser humano maravilloso. En su manera sencilla de interactuar con el público, en la introducción que hace a los temas de sus canciones, en la lírica de sus principales temas. Guillermo Anderson le canta a la vida, al amor y mucho más. El canta-autor es la conciencia social hecha música de Honduras. En sus canciones promueve la educación, la igualdad entre hombres y mujeres, el amor por el verde y la invitación a respetar este lugar bañado de naturaleza con sus zonas emblemáticas como la biosfera del rio Plátano, los rios de la Moskitia. En fin, es un promotor de lo positivo, lo bueno, lo hermoso que hay en este país. El mensaje es sencillo. Reconozcamos la ríqueza, la belleza, la bondad, la diversidad, la capacidad de ser cada día mejores. Guillermo Anderson con su voz, puede sembrar una semilla de esperanza en el corazón de quien lo escucha. En mi corazón quedó plantada y con ella, la sensación que mi corazón creció. Ahora tiene el tamaño y forma de Honduras. Gracias Guillermo!