Design, Art, and Fiction

GE April 4, 2016

Fondazione Prada is an institution dedicated to contemporary art and culture as well. On May 2015 they opened to the public its new permanent venue in Milan. Luckily I went to Milan just in time to visit Fondazione Prada´s exhibitions.

It is a very interesting museum, most exhibits include a lot of abstract art. What I found to be the most amusing, was the architectural design of the museum itself. I do not know much about architecture. But my family has always been very involved in it, giving me a good sense of what great architecture is really about. Every corner of Fondazione Prada has a gorgeous and fine design. Good thing I happened to visit the museum with my brother and cousin which are both architects.

My cousin Eugenio, myself and my brother Stefano.

Never underestimate de power of a gold wall.

Do you know Wes Anderson? He is the film maker behind The Grand Budapest Hotel, Moonrise Kingdom and many others. If you love his movies and style used in them, you need to go to Bar Luce. It is a café designed by the great director, located inside Fondazione Prada. Just by sitting at a table you feel like you are taking part of a Wes Anderson film set in a 1950´s or 60´s Milano.

Fondazione Prada is a bit far from the historic centre but definitely worth going.

-Greta

One of the best views of the castle and park.

Treasures of Milan

GE March 25, 2016

Walking all day in the city can get pretty tiring. Not only physically but mentally. It is a good idea to find a space in your schedule where you can relax your mind and body. If yoga is not an option, you can always rely on finding a beautiful park to let your mind rest.

I am very intense while traveling. No matter what, I have to wake up early and do as much as possible every day. I love my crazy traveling days even though I end up exhausted. This is why last summer I decided to take off an evening from being a tourist and visited Parco Sempione.

Parco Sempione is located in the historic center of Milan. So far it is my favorite park in Milan. During the summer there is so much life. People playing soccer, running or just hanging out. It is the perfect place to get away from the chaos in the Piazza di Duomo area.

The park was established in 1888 and designed by Emilio Alemagna. He created beautiful panoramic views by contrasting the Castello Sforzesco and the Arco della Pace (two of the main landmarks in Milan).

If you happen to be in Milan, do not forget to visit Parco Sempione and explore its many wonders.

-Greta.

Dreaming in Oaxaca

GE August 7, 2015

The state of Oaxaca is filled with history and beautiful places. For example, I have heard that the beaches in Oaxaca are so beautiful there is no comparison with any other, sadly I did not have time to visit them over my trip. But I did visit a few tourist attractions around the city of Oaxaca. If you happen to be traveling around there I advise you to make this one day tour, I promise it is worth it.

Stop #1: Santa Maria del Tule

In the town of Santa Maria del Tule the famous Arbol del Tule (Tree of Tule)i s found. It is known for being one of the oldest trees in the world and thought to be more than 2,000 years old. With a diameter of 14.05 meters (46.1 ft), 30 people with their arms extended would be needed in order to surround it. The data is very impressive but seeing this magnificent tree in person is just sublime. To think that this same tree has seen the Spanish, Mixtecs, Zapotecs, and a lot more really blows my mind.

Stop #2: Mitla, place of rest

This stop will probably take more time than the first one because it is a large archeological site with many buildings. Mitla became the center of politic power for the Zapotecs of the valley when Monte Albán was unoccupied.

Like many pre-Columbian sites, Mitla was partially destroyed by the Spanish conquerors therefore building a catholic temple over the pre-Hispanic foundations. Luckily many of the Zapotec buildings did survive and now we have the chance to relive the history enclosed between its walls. Architecturally speaking, what caught my eye was the complex mosaic fretwork found all around Mitla. This fretwork or grecas are made with perfectly cut stones making different patterns, usually placed over the walls of buildings. The fretwork is so beautifully done that we could think they were made for a decorative motive when in reality for the Zapotecs they were considered a "symbolic teaching". There are also two tombs open to the public, this was the first time I got a chance to go inside of one. Admiring the place that for many years was filled with corpses that once aspired for an afterlife, was both fascinating and disturbing.

Stop #3: Hierve el Agua

Finally the most awaited stop (at least it was for me) Hierve el Agua. After a long road that goes through Oaxacas´s central valley we get to a set of petrified waterfalls. The name Hierve el Agua (meaning water boils) is given because of the similarity of the water springs to boiling water. The water form the springs was used to create natural baths were you can admire the waterfalls and enjoy a panoramic view.

The rock formations or petrified waterfalls are formed because of the slow runoff of water high in calcium carbonate over thousands of years.

The view is incredible and the place gives you internal peace from the moment you touch it. It is a daydream.

A place to think, create, dream, and contemplate. The perfect place to finish off a day of learning. After this last stop I would recommend you to go back to the city and eat some mole enchiladas. I believe there is no excuse to not eat mole at least once a day over your trip to Oaxaca.

Hope you enjoy it!

-Greta

i-D México

GE June 16, 2015

Last week I was contacted by i-D México for an interview. i-D is the British magazine created by Terry Jones in 1980. Its main focus is fashion and urban culture viewed from a much more liberal point of view compared to the customary magazines.

The article I was interviewed for talks about young talented Mexicans, meaning young people who have discovered what their passion is. Sometimes I am so involved in my dance life that I do not pay attention to all those people following their own dreams. This is why I really enjoyed being in this project and seeing so many talented people. In any field doing what you love can be very hard to achieve, sometimes it seems impossible but not giving up is the key for success. I admire all of you who no matter what do what you feel passionate about.

Here is a translated version of my interview, you can see the whole article at https://i-d.vice.com/es_mx/article/jovenes-talentos-mexicanos-parte-uno

Thank you i-D magazine for an incredible experience.

Remember that your comments are always welcome!

Greta wearing Bimba y Lola

GRETA ELIZONDO 22 YEARS OLD, BALLET DANCER

At what age did you start dancing? When I was 8. It just happened, my mom took me to ballet classes as all moms do and little by little I started to really like it. By 10 i knew ballet was what I wanted for my life.

What do you like the most about dancing, what do you feel? That feeling of being alone on stage... there are no words to describe it but it is like being in a world where you are someone else, because its never you on stage and you have the freedom to express yourself and do anything to get to the audience´s heart.

What do you like the best of being young in 2015? I think being young in any time is great. But right now you can take advantage of social media, there are older dancers or dancers in another era that did not get as recognized because it was not as easy.

Is there something that really bothers you? A lot of things, one of them is people throwing trash on the streets because the ideal would be for everyone to recycle but at least do not throw your trash on the street.

How do you see yourself in five years? I see myself still doing what I love the most, hopefully with more achievements and still growing as an artist.

What project are you working on? I am currently with the Compañia Nacional de Danza, we will be dancing Giselle at Palacio de Bellas Artes and I will also be dancing with Mexico City Ballet at the end of this month.

Are you in love? Yes.

Fotografía Dylanne Lee
Estilismo Nayeli de Alba
Maquillaje y Peinado Adrián González Carmona
Asistente de Estilismo Emiliano Villalba
Asistente de Producción Sofía Cerda

-Greta

Soumaya Museum

GE April 15, 2015

Sometimes it can be hard to squeeze in your weekly schedule a visit to a museum, performance, exhibition etc. Being on the cultural domain I feel that as artists it is our duty to experience all types of art and to not enclose ourselves in our specific "field". We chose to commit our lives to the arts and therefore should celebrate and support them all.

The arts provide an outlet to creativity and expression, this has influenced humanity throughout history. We should all be trying to incorporate a little extra art into our lives (it is never enough).

I must say I am trying to make this a habit (after ballet hours) and sometimes it is very difficult to accomplish it. It helps a lot that there are so many museums in Mexico City. The other day finding myself in a rush I went to the Soumaya museum which is close to where I live. It is free and open every day of the year so there is no excuse for not going.

The museum is home to Carlos Slim´s personal collection. There is a lot of European and Mexican artwork as well as religious relics, pre-hispanic sculptures and so on. If you happen to be walking past the Soumaya (which you will recognize because its one of a kind architecture ) do not hesitate to go in. If you do not have much time you should definitely start by the top floor *spoiler alert* and find lot of Rodin!

Have a nice day and keep updated for part II of this post...

-Greta

Photos by Alexander Mitiaev and Greta Elizondo

The Tehuana dress

GE April 3, 2015

Frida Kahlo, born in Mexico. An artist with a different perspective of life and a style that has no comparison.

As a teenager she suffered an accident that changed her life. The bus she was traveling on crashed with a trolley, leaving her with multiple fractured bones and the incapacity to have children. This event lead to approximately 32 surgeries during her lifetime. Due to her inability to walk after the accident Frida started painting more and using it as an outlet for her suffering.

Owed to the imperfections her body now had, she started using long dresses and skirts to cover up her injuries.

Not long ago I visited La Casa Azul (Blue House) which was the Home of Frida and herbhusband the muralist Diego Rivera. It is now a museum dedicated to her art. There is a temporary exhibition where you can appreciate the dresses, corsets, and accessories that where recently discovered inside the Blue House. For anyone who loves art, history, and fashion this is a "must see".

She wore a lot of regional Mexican dresses, specially the Tehuana style which is a traditional type of dress from the state of Oaxaca also the most beautiful in my opinion.

What I truly admire of Frida Kahlo is the way her art and style all came together to reflect her love and passion for Mexico.

Frida Kahlo's  style has inspired designers like Dali Rees and Jean Paul Gautier. — Frida Kahlo's style has inspired designers like Dali Rees and Jean Paul Gautier.

-Greta

Photos by Greta Elizondo

Around San Miguel de Allende

GE March 7, 2015

I am pretty sure that most of my Mexican friends are familiar with San Miguel de Allende, not so sure about my international friends. Either way this post will show a little of what I did and saw when I was in this lovely city over my winter break.

San Miguel de Allende is a city in the state of Guanajuato founded in 1542. It is well known for its colonial architecture, art galleries, handcrafts, amazing food, and so much more. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

One of the best known landmarks is the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel. I must emphasize that this church is not a cathedral but a parish (I was corrected for it like five times).

The different vibrant colors on each building , the hilled cobblestone streets and alleys, and the mix between old and contemporary Mexico make this city a beautiful scenery.

You can find all sorts of handcrafts, from the very simple ones on street markets up to the really high quality ones found in boutiques or art galleries . There is also a lot of Talavera pottery around. It can be used for bowls, jars, wall decoration and plenty other stuff. Lately I am on a talavera loving phase so you will be seeing a lot of it around here.

Comfortable shoes are a total YES for the touristy part of the day.

All around the main plaza they sell garland crowns, handmade with real flowers in all sorts of colors. Of course I had to buy one...there was no option about it. (Check out the talavera background!)

Later on I will give you my list of top things to do while in San Miguel de Allende.

-greta

Photos by Alexander Mitiaev, Isaac Elizondo, and Greta Elizondo

Stop #1: Santa Maria del Tule

Stop #2: Mitla, place of rest

Stop #3: Hierve el Agua

GRETA ELIZONDO 22 YEARS OLD, BALLET DANCER

Another Pointe