We arrived in Mexico on October 6th. After a day of resting from travel, we made our way to meet Lázaro, who we were looking forward to filming because of the weird stuff he was doing with sound and found objects, but also because of performances he called “art interventions.” Art Interventions are exactly what they sound like: an intentional interruption in the busy, mundane rush of everyday life, to hopefully wake people up to the possibility of spontaneity – if not beauty – around them.
Lazaro’s Dog, also Called Lázaro Valiente
We met Lázaro in his apartment after first accidentally waking his roommate (the son of a famous South American percussionist, both of whom happen to be dwarfs) from a nap. After a round of introductions and a bit of talk about our travels, Lazaro described for us his extensive career as an artist and the sources of his current inspiration: Mexican barrel organs (big music boxes that are played in the streets by performers who turn a crank on the side of the box to make a tinkle-y sound), graphic art found on metros, graffiti, and the everyday sounds of the street – cars, people talking, metal surfaces that can be struck with sticks or spoons.
Barrel Organ Street Performers
Graphics in Metro Station
Metro Station, Mexico City
Street Art
We didn’t actually get to see Lazaro perform until a few days later when we met him in Insurgentes metro station for one of his Art Interventions. When he was ready, he set himself up in the middle of the busy station. Soon he began slapping his chest and thighs and making a loud popping sound by clapping cupped hands close to his puckered lips.
His performance lasted about three minutes before police arrived to escort him out of the subway. But before his performance was interrupted, many commuters stopped what they were doing to watch him. Some seemed confused and embarrassed, some seemed alarmed, and some smiled and nodded their heads to Lazaro’s unusual rhythm. Lazaro obeyed the police and politely left the metro station to the sound of modest applause.
Lazaro Being Blessed Outside the Metro Shortly before one of his Art Interventions
The modern-ness of what Lazaro was doing seemed blown out of proportion when we went to see the traditional Mariachi guitarists in Garibaldi Square the next day. Garibaldi was full of mariachis. Everywhere you turned there was another man in gold-embroidered costume and large hat playing guitar and singing.
We took the opportunity to film one of them after explaining what we were doing and getting his permission. It was a successful shoot and we were about to pack up when another mariachi guitarist approached us and asked if we’d film him too. We looked at each other and shrugged. Why not?
Unfortunately, this guy wasn’t as well-respected by his fellow musicians as the first guy. He smiled and locked eyes with the camera throughout his performance, despite the heckling going on behind us. When he was done, however, his smile faded and he swiftly carried his guitar to the heckler and with enough force to break the guitar into splinters, he smashed it over the heckler’s head.
Plaza Garibaldi
Happy Musician (First to be Filmed)
Angry Performer Pre-Guitar Smashing
Needless to say, we removed ourselves from the situation as fast as we could, a bit confused, a little embarrassed, and totally stunned.
A day or so before we left Mexico we were lucky to find a street performance band that seemed to be an interesting middle ground between avant guarde Lazaro’s Art Interventions and traditionalist mariachi musicians. Tri Ciclo Circus Band was half clown act, half musical performance. They danced and played energetic poppy rock music that had a big crowd of onlookers very engaged. They all wore red noses and even when it began to rain, the performers kept playing until the end of their set, after which they fled in every direction, red noses intact, the (wet) crowd applauding.
Tri Ciclo Circus Band