Clinging tightly to the metal supports, I marvelled at the vastness of Medellín sprawled out before us. ¡Que hermoso! was all that I could think. Turning to my friend Somni, I let her know (in my slowly improving Spanish) how wonderful it was to discover another beautiful Colombian destination. During our three months in Medellín, we were grateful to find the right balance of fun and friendship with our Paisa amigos.
These dear amigos introduced us to ...
wet and wild water parks,
picturesque pueblos,
festive fiestas,
... and Colombian cuisine conversations!
What a joy to be able to improve our Spanish listening and speaking skills while meeting new friends and discovering new places in and around Medellín! One Saturday excursion that stands out in my memory as ''increíble'' was organized by my dear friend, Somni. Come along as we find the right balance of art, music, language, culture, and friendship at ...
Monte Sinaí Casa de Arte
Monte Sinaí Casa de Arte lies on the mountainside in San Cristóbal, a small rural town on the outskirts of Medellín. Somni had sent me a news clip about this small museum and art studio and invited us to check it out with her one Saturday afternoon. As with most adventures in Medellin, the journey was as interesting as the destination. We took the Metro train to the northern part of the city and hopped on the Metro-cable cars that whisked us up the mountainside. There we hailed a taxi driver who drove us the rest of the way up the mountain. It was just a little mind-blowing to think about how skillful (and fearless) these drivers have to be to drive up these narrow, steep inclines! When we arrived at our destination, it looked like it could be a private home, except for a giant iron structure in the shape of a balance that rested on its front lawn.
The video had stated that the Casa de Arte was open to the public, but we soon realized that we were fortunate that our friend had made the arrangements ahead of time as we were the only ones there. We were greeted by Brayan, the 21-year-old son of the owners who gave us a three hour personal tour of their art studio, museum, and event center.
Everything that lay before us was made possible by this family of talented artists. For the past twenty years, brothers Ramiro and Germán Arias have been pursuing their dream of developing this space into a magical place for the arts. They have created an art studio where local children and young adults are introduced to various modalities of art. Painting, ceramics, and music classes allow local youth to interact with professional artists. This encouragement inspires the youth to become the best version of themselves. Building up youth in turn helps build up local communities.
Creative artistic thought went into the design of the brick house with its many art studios, galleries, and community meeting rooms,
as well as in the design of the iron spiral staircase and decorative window grills.
The unique furnishings were all handmade, often from repurposed items.
But it was the trademark balance, La Espada de la Justicia (The Sword of Justice), that brought out the child in all of us. This twelve meter (40 feet) tall steel, iron, and concrete structure was the labor of love for Brayan's father, sculptor Ramiro Arias. His sculptures have received national acclaim for the creative artistry as well as for the strong visuals reflecting social issues and human rights.
This one, entitled ''No Más Minas Antipersonas'' (No More Mines Against Humans) visualizes the great human cost of war.
''Encuentro Con La Liberdad'' (Encounter with Freedom) spoke to me about how our chains are broken by the great sacrifice on the Cross.
Our tour guide and new friend, Brayan, is a talented musician and song writer who shared some of his original music with us. His music video, ''Caminando en Medellín'' (Walking in Medellín), captured in music the beautiful city that we have grown to love.
Brayan's fiance, Alejandra, is a talented artist as well. I loved her use of color and prospective,
but I was really drawn in by how her paintings reflect the love that this delightful young couple shares.
After our three hour tour of this magical place, we enjoyed a late lunch in their restaurant area that overlooks the Aburrá Valley and the city of Medellín.
Brayan and Alexandra serenaded us with a number of his original songs including one of his first songs with English lyrics.
With the sun setting over the mountains, his parents joined us on the patio. Ramiro Arias shared the philosophy behind his sculptures and expressed his hopes that Monte Sinaí Casa de Arte can continue to be a beautiful place where art and culture come together. I sat there mesmerized by the words and songs of our new friends. I thought about all the amazing people that we have come to know during our time in Colombia. Yes, we may speak different languages, but we share the same hopes and dreams for a better world.
As current world events threaten to tip the scales of peace, we need to find the right balance by embracing the qualities that bring us together in friendship.
