Los Criollos (The Peruvian Creoles)

Los Criollos (The Peruvian Creoles)

Oil on canvas - 4ft x 5ft.

Peruvian “Música Criolla” (Creole Music), is comprised of two essential instruments, the Cajón (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cajón) and a guitar.  They work together much like a human body; the thumping base of the cajón, a beating heart, the guitar strings, veins.Together, they create a “Jarana” (a revelry).“Musica Criolla” is much more than Perúvian music. It’s a symbol of culture, tradition and history. Peruvian Creole Music is a means of popular expression, and has produced many great musicians and songwriters. The musical and literary beauty is so inspirational, other great artists in different musical genres interpret many of its songs. 

Musica Criolla can be described as poetry, dancing to the rhythm of a guitar and a cajón.  A “Criollo” (Creole) carries music in his or her soul. To be a “Criollo” you have to be a lover of life and the streets. A Criollo falls in love with his street corner, and will sing there until the break of dawn. It goes far beyond knowing how to sing or play an instrument. You must be able to express your deepest feelings.

A “Jarana”, is a revelry or celebration. Most times, it’s spontaneous and improvised. It takes place in a house or in the street of any neighborhood, where friends, relatives and neighbors come join the celebration. When a Jarana takes place in someone’s home, the door is left open. No invitations or RSVP’s needed ...if you went, great, and if you didn’t go, you missed it. A Jarana sometimes occurs during a simple reunion where someone just brought a guitar and someone else showed up with a Cajón. And of course at a Jarana, there will be some criollo dish or dishes (Peruvian food). Also “Chelas” (slang for beer) is a great companion for the Criollos that sing, play instruments and of course, the Criollos that dance. I remember “Cristal”, the most popular beer brand back in the days, they come in enormous bottles, and many times you drink only from one glass that you share with your friends.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Música_criolla

The Emoliente Street Vendor

More Characters

The collection of Lima’s traditional characters keeps growing. One brushstroke at a time.

La Tamalera (The Tamale Street Vendor)

La Tamalera (The Tamale Street Vendor)

Oil on canvas 4ft. x 5ft.

It is an October cool sunday morning. The sky is grey as it usually is in Lima this time of the year. And she’s sitting on a little stool. This is how I remember the Tamalera (Tamales street vendor). As I was growing up in Lima, Perú it was very common to see a Tamalera very early in the morning, sitting by the door of a bakery selling her freshly homemade tamales. I remember she had a huge basket filled with tamales. And sitting on the top of the basket she had a piece of wood working like a shelf, where she would place a warm Tamale ready for you to taste and hopefully buy one, or two, or more, to take home and have a delicious breakfast.

In Perú, the “Tamal” is the type of food that fits perfectly in any of the four meals of the day, it is great for breakfast, for lunch, also for “Lonche” (a peruvian “tea time”, and also for the late dinner. (Lonche: http://perufood.blogspot.com/2006/01/lonche-english-tea-time-in-lima.html)

The “Tamal” makes any breakfast a traditional one. A Tamal sandwich on French Bread, accompanied by hot coffee or “Café-con-Leche” (coffee with milk) for breakfast or for Lonche, or a Tamal with “Salsa Criolla” on top , for lunch or dinner are very impossible for me to forget. (Onion Creole Sauce: http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/saladssidedishes/r/salsacriolla.htm)

This painting also depicts how I remember my neighborhood’s bakery, in the district of Jesus María where I grew up. The bakery was at about a block and a half from my house, we had to go and by bread twice a day, first thing in the morning for lunch, and late afternoon for “Lonche”. Where I grew up it was important to have freshly baked bread for every meal. French bread.

I really hope that this painting can tell you a little more about my culture and the customs and characters that were a big part of the Perú I grew up in.

Peruvian Tamal:

http://www.foodandbeverageunderground.com/breakfast-blast-peruvian-style.html

http://goperu.about.com/od/foodanddrink/ss/Savory-Snacks-In-Peru_3.htm

Peruvian Art. El Heladero (The Ice Cream Man)

“El Heladero” is here. Oil on Canvas 4' x 5'. As many of you know, I grew up in Lima, Perú. And I remember very clearly every summer in which the streets would be invaded by the Ice Cream Men. Like warriors, pedaling or pushing this commercial tricycle they would make sure they found their way to you. The tricycle carried this big ice-box painted in a unmistakable yellow color, you could see them coming from far, far away. They also had this little air-horn that made this peculiar sound and they used to announce that they were around, so if you couldn’t see their yellow cart coming, you would definitely hear they were on their way.

The name of the brand of the ice-cream they carried was D’onofrio. The best and the most popular ice-cream brand at the time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D'Onofrio). They had a huge selection of different flavors and types of ice-cream, and I have to say, they were all really good. During the summer, you would find an “Heladero” in parks, street corners, beaches, etc. and they were either pedaling heir tricycle, or just waiting for you to come and buy ice-cream. There could never be a summer without it’s inseparable companion: El Heladero”.

With this painting I just Finished, I continue with my homage to the characters that are a very important part of my city’s urban history. In my painting, the color of the tricycle and the uniform of the Heladero, are just the way I remember them. Things have changed over the years, and the color of the cart and the uniform have changed.

Hugo.

Hugo La Torre & Peruvian Traditions.

...from left to right: The Matador en Acho (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_de_toros_de_Acho), The Anticuchera (Kabobs street vendor), La Picaronera (the Picarones street vendor), The Turronera (The Turron de Doña Pepa street vendor), and the Cajonero (the Cajón Player)... the next one will come soon. Real soon.

Hugo La Torre.

Peruvian Paintings. Peruvian Art.

...I’ve painted five so far. I’m almost ready to get started on the sixth one. So far I only have the Cajón player (El Cajonero), the Kabobs street vendor (La Anticuchera), the Turron de Doña Pepa street vendor (La Turronera - http://www.amigofoods.com/sanjotu500gr.html), the bullfighter (El Torero), and the Picarones street vendor (La Picaronera). I hope that this group of traditional characters of Lima, the city where I grew up, continues to grow more and more. My intention is to dedicate to you a collection of peruvian paintings you could identify with, or allow you to get to know Perú a little better, or simply this would be a collection of paintings that will bring memories to some of you.

Hugo.