Mexico – Jan Karlin — What's Next?

Colors of Oaxaca

December 20, 2018 Jan Karlin

Oaxaca state in southern Mexico has a unique spirituality that is expressed in its colors and crafts. Possibly the most authentic part of Mexico, numerous indigenous people gather in the city of Oaxaca, located where three mountain ranges meet. The native cuisine, embroidered clothing, colonial architecture, pre-columbian archeological sites and artisanal crafts reflect this melding of ancient cultures.

On a recent visit, the city’s energy and culture grab you immediately. You hear languages that go back millennia, eat foods that are grown in hundreds of surrounding villages, and see everyday clothing that expresses its heritage through colorful embroidery.

Mexico’s Artistic Embrace

November 15, 2018 Jan Karlin

What defines Mexican art? Are the murals of Diego Rivera and the art carved on the pyramids of Teotihuacan equally vital? Do the crafts native to indigenous villages throughout the country influence contemporary visual artists? The colors of the homes in every city, architecture that features volcanic rock, archaeological sites that provide examples of ancient creativity for the 21st century – all of this provides inspiration for Mexico’s artistic environment.

I was fortunate to visit Mexico recently, experiencing for the first time the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) in Oaxaca. This important holiday showcases Mexican artistic expression through food, flowers, music, rituals and costumes

Inspiration and Language

September 12, 2017 Jan Karlin

Every morning we wake up to the newest perversion of our language – right is left, news is fake, pop is art – all now acceptable and beyond most people’s comprehension. How did it become so out of control?

As I begin my first blog, I find that the topics I wish to write about cannot be divorced from the current state of U.S. and world affairs. I have made my life in the arts, which has taken me on unexpected and wonderful paths. Many musicians travel, meet colleagues from other countries, represent their country artistically, and are unofficial ambassadors of their nation’s cultural life.