ARTBLOCK: a cultural crawl that became a night to remember

Out and About

with  David Young

Cultural crawling is what the organizers called it, and on a hot hot night in Casco Viejo on Thursday March 31   a crawl it was.

Few were inclined to sprint as they set out to sample the pleasures of the area’s second  ARTBLOCK and sprinting doesn't allow time to stand and stare. {jathumbnail off}

What one year ago was a tour of a handful of staged events by multi talented artists, had become a true marathon and  a cultural gourmand with  31 events on the menu, scattered across the old city.

The warm up, if that was needed ,was a rooftop party at Clementine’s the in-place for breakfast through dinner. Getting to the roof, up unending flights of winding steps was the friendly introduction, and had me wondering later how the many beautiful legs on stiletto heels managed it. The party bubbled,   and there was an inspiring dance curtain raiser, by Claudia Castillo with Francia  Pavlova at the keyboard. What made me think Pavlova should have been dancing? There were many familiar faces from the world of performing arts, including GaleCelucci of the Theatre Guild, Farieda Ramautar, organizer of the upcoming ExpoSensual at Atlapa, and Daryl Ries  of  Panama Opera.

Suitably warmed I skipped down the stairs with a small group, dutifully and, as it turned out thankfully, wearing comfortable walking shoes, following the advice of the “group of four” event coordinators. 

Clutching our route maps and the list of happenings it promised to be a long night, and it was. We .began in Plaza Herrera

 where we were bedazzled by a  conjurer, got to meet Benjamin Avila Gorgas, star of the multiple award winning movie Burwa Dii Ebo (The Wind and Water) opening in April, and wondered at the energy of break dancers on a night when it was already getting too warm to breath. Cool cerveza being poured a recently opened bar in the square looked tempting but we plodded onwards taking in photographic exhibitions, murals, instrumental performances before a short break at the recently opened pizzeria “La Rosa de Los Vientos”

where we sat on a quiet terrace overhanging a beach with a view of the lights of the Amador Causeway twinkling in the distance.

That experience brought into focus the concerns of the Avaca group about the possibilities of the Cinta Costera wrapping the area. Sipping a cool one and munchingon some freshly made pasta would not be quite the same with cars and buses streaming by a few meters away.

While we sat we noticed a volunteer putting flyers under the windshield wipers of parked cars maybe promoting some special event of the evening. In fact she was distributing flyers from Avaca, warning of the upcoming threat to the World Heritage site and then going to join another group collecting signatures for presentation to the government.

La Rosa is hidden away down a side street from A  Avenue. It is one of many. If you haven’t walked down them before,  make the effort. You will get some surprises, discover new treasures, from B&B’s to restaurants, beaches and stunning views. You will also gain an insight  into Avaca’s concerns. It’s not about protecting their view, it’s about protecting something that belongs to all  who live in or visit Panama.

But back to ARTBLOCK.  We gave up on the map, hard to read in the limited street lighting,  and followed the crowds. We paused by Super Gourmet to watch Spanish flamenco dancing, moved in and out of one establishment after another, listened to singers and musicians from Salsa to Jazz and guitar, watched  a performance  of a DJ and film, and helped feed  a corralled man who looked as if he needed a good meal with pieces of paper, handed out by his assistant propagating the the green  theme of the evening..

We took another break in recently opened Divinos wine bar   a usually quiet retreat. Not so this night. It was packed with appreciative listeners to a Spicy Latin Jazz project with Miroslave Morales  and special guest  Phil Ranellin. The air conditioning was thankfully in good working order, and we chatted with Canadians, a waiter we had last seen working in Café Balboa, and strangers and friends.from all over the city.

There was more to follow, lots more, and celebrating went on late into the night at many establishments which had “after parties” including Divinos where the event was in conjunction with the Danilo Perez 

Foundation.  I estimated we had met people from 15 different countries, including many from  the CanadaPLUS Club, who were in evidence in most locations.

Our last entertainment was a dramatic performance by three jugglers wielding flaming sticks which they hurled between them high into the night sky the  over Cathedral s Square, catchingly seamlessly. A fitting end to an inspirational evening.

inally the slow walk back to Clementines  where, thankfully, they have valet parking. We wondered whether we should hang around for their renowned breakfast, but none of us was young enough to surive without sleep.

We, and a host of participants are already looking forward to the next  event, in May, and hoping that in time can become more than a one night stand.

The organizing is a team of enticing hard slogging ladies is led by co-founder and Executive Director Kimberley Hall and co-founder Krista Quinn and backed up by :Mariery Young and Elly van Os,