Founded in 2009A Magazine for the University’s Aesthetes

Vol. I, Issue II.End of Summer 2010www.urbanemagazine.org

UrbaneMagazine

INSIDE:Summer PhotoshootBack To School Chic

Artist Spotlight:Anitra Hamilton

Photo Essay by Matthew WallA Long Day’s Journey into Night

Dreaming in DemocracyA Field Report From Peru

The End of Summer

Urbane Magazine

Issue II, Volume 1End of Summer 2010www.urbanemagazine.org

Urbane Magazine is a student run publication at the Universityof Toronto. Contents of the publication do not reflect theviews of the faculty or administration.

Urbane Magazine80 Front Street East, Suite 414Toronto, ONM5E 1T4

CONTENTS“FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS”LOCAL FASHION THE AESTHETECailin Smart & Matthew Gray, pg. 9

A The StylistFor Whom The Bell TollsCailin Smart, pg. 5

Back To School Chic Photos by Matthew GrayStyling by Cailin Cmart, pg. 5

B The DesignerArtist Spotlight: Anitra HamiltonFarhad Manouchehri, pg. 11

A Long Day’s Journey Into NightMatthew Wall, pg. 12

C The Local Beta Burns BabylonAlexander Moss pg. 17

Bordeaux, Bordeaux Alleyne Lede, pg. 19

D The DiplomatDreaming in Democracy : A Field Report from PeruSimon Luling, pg. 21

ANITRA HAMILTONARTIST FEATURETHE DESIGNERFarhad Manouchehri, pg. 11

End of Summer 2010

End of Summer 2010 2

Dear Reader,

If you have read this magazine before, you should know that I am horrified about writing this letter. Being handed the re-sponsibility of leading a brand new magazine at the Univer-sity of Toronto has sparked an engine within my drive and diligence I did know had. If you’re never read this magazine, I’m sorry that it is late getting into your hot little paws.

In February of this year, Matthew Gray, the previous Editor and Founder of this publication, released the first issue of our magazine. He had created something for the “aestheti-cally concerned student” at the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus. I thought I had to follow following his foot- steps. After taking on the role of Editor-In-Chief, it came to a point where I realized I had no idea what I was doing.

In six weeks, I confronted the three creators about where they went wrong and where to lead you this issue. Never mind produce that this happened over a few pints at O’Grady’s.

In only six weeks, we were able to make what you are read-ing. We decided that, in the first issue, the articles represent-ed culture what we so desperately tried to thwart. We want to be the boiling summer you just endured.

We toiled through vigorous copy editing and layout sessions but, we finally put the following issue together.

September moving pushed our deadline back a few days but, for you readers whose baking summer nights are as distant as library doors on a winter night, welcome back

Regards,

Olivia Forsyth-Sells

Editor-in-Chief

Urbane’s Launch Gala was held at Hart House on February 26th, 2010. A fashion show, photography contest, and freeflowing beer marked the occasion.

(Launch Gala Photo above)Cover photograph by Matthew Gray, as part of “For Whom the Bell Tolls” photoshoot.

LETTER FROM THE EdITOR

Want to get involved in the publication? E-mail us at info@urbanemagazine.org. Pitch us an article, send us some photos, suggest some ideas!

ENd OF SUMMER 2010 EIC@URBANEMAgAzINE.ORg

Olivia Forsyth-SellsEditor-in-Chief

Colin MacleodExecutive Director

Cailin SmartFashion Editor

Farhad ManouchehriDesign Editor

Ceecee LuPolitics Editor

Lauren TreihaftCulture Editor

Matthew GrayFounding Editor

Productionsproductions@urbanemagazine.org

Matthew Wall Creative Director

Jonathan ValellyProductions Director

Publishingpublishing@urbanemagazine.org

Rachel YoesPublisher

Sarah SiddiquiDeputy Publisher

AdvisorsProfessor Blair MascallBarbara HaynesMatthew FoxMatthew GrayChristine Sirois

Cover Photo by Matthew Gray for Urbane Magazine

Editorialinfo@urbanemagazine.org

Urbane Magazine is a student run publication at the University of Toronto. Contents of the publication do not reflect the views of the faculty or administration, and all views expressed are those of the authors.

To get involved, e-mail: recruitment@urbanemagazine.org

Advertising: advertising@urbanemagazine.org

Urbane Magazine80 Front Street East, Suite 414Toronto, ONM5E 1T4

THE MASTHEAd2010 – 2011

“FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS”LOCAL FASHION PHOTOSHOOTStyling CAILIN SMARTPhotography MATTHEW GRAY

“People are always asking whether we got our jewelry in Thailand or Latin America. We are always correcting them: every piece is hand-crafted in Toronto” says Thi Dinh, the bubbly brand manager of Melissa Clemente designs. She’s talking about the eclectic jewelry collection she works for, but her enthusiasm for local fashion speaks to the collective frame of mind of Toronto designers. While even the most savvy U of T fashionista can hardly name a designer working and available for retail within a 10 km radius of the St. George campus—this won’t be a lasting phenomenon if Toronto de-signers and their aggressive new marketing techniques have anything to say about it.

Toronto fashion is more accessible than you think. And if you don’t—as is admittedly likely—think about it, you will soon, because it’s coming to a ridiculously affordable shelf or web-site close to you soon. In the vein of accessibility, Urbane had the opportunity of working with five amazing Toronto de-signers for our back-to-school photo diary. From our closet to yours, and inspired by some of Toronto’s finest, here are four things to consider before you shop this fall.

Statement necklace

I know statement is a blanket term. I also know that the chunky necklace is a dying trend—but before you throw in the towel you might consider something more detailed as op-posed to volume for volume’s sake from a few seasons ago. What we noticed at our shoot while using the MCD pieces was their ability to transform: we saw our looks go from pretty to haute from take to take. Opt for tasteful bric-a-brac, like the necklace we chose. It looked like magnetic lace that had been dipped into some treasure chest full of sparkling trinkets. And if your vision is less of a magpie-esque than ours, you might want to consider the more opaque creations of Dandi Maestre (or at the very least go admire her horn, wood, and bone one-of-a-kind pieces at the AGO shop between lectures.)

5

ATHE STyLIST

End of Summer 2010

WRAP COAT By jULES POWERAvAILABLE AT: OvER THE RAINBOW TORONTO

Wrap Coat

You know those days in November where half your lecture halls are heated and half the time you can’t see your notes due to layer of frozen breath? Such days paired with Octo-ber sweater weather equals the wrap coat being a superlative fall purchase. Correctly accessorized it boasts the comfort of a shearling house-coat while looking impossibly chic, done or undone, flaps across the throat or nonchalantly open. The Jules Power wrap coat was made for student life, and is avail-able at Over-the-Rainbow in Yorkville. That’s right, a place you’ve at least heard of if not probably shopped at. PS: Jules Power does amazing sportswear in all departments. If only Canadian basics would do capsule collections of local design-ers à la H&M or Adidas. Jules Power for MEC or Patagonia would be a major success.

Vintage Purse

Toronto fashion is incomplete without vintage. We have the best vintage and consignment in the country (partly due to our massive volumes of it) and at its finest (see 69 Vintage, I Miss You, Ex-Toggery) can rival New York. The vintage purse is about harnessing earthy, organic materials. Fabrics that look wiser with age are the raw materials of a fine vintage tote. Leather, as such, is wonderful. Wicker—as long as not gimmicky (unless you like the young grandmother look) also endures the test of time. Needlepoint florals can lean on the mothballs side, but can also bring an unexpected punch to an otherwise modern outfit. Vintage costs a fraction of what the item originally retailed for—and bag are big ticket items. Vintage takes the question “how much wear am I going to get for the amount I am spending?” And if it irks you to use a bag whose owner may lurk in a crypt or prison cell, a premium cleaning costs around 50 bucks—you’re still light years be-hind a new retail bag.

Interchangeable “We showed it backwards on the runway.” We are told at Comrags, when we see the lovely sweater we had selected for the shoot. Of course I would fall for the backwards sweater, I think. Taking a hint from the Comrags LGFW FW 2010 styling, belted at the waist, a backwards buttoned cardigan looks intentionally oversized, and with the V-neck showing a deep back provides subtle sensuality (especially with the contrast between the thick gauzy fabric and naked skin.) Black leather is too harsh for fall, and earthy neutrals are in across the board, so opt for a faded brown in chestnut or mahogany. Interchangeable is a wide-ranging trend right now, also with the stunning architectural full-length dress at Thieves that can be worn more than five ways, each time accentuating a different curve or body part. Interchangeable is a student’s budgetary dream because it’s the epitome of more bang for your buck.

End of Summer 2010

WRAP COAT By jULES POWERAvAILABLE AT: OvER THE RAINBOW TORONTO

FULL LENgTH dRESSBy THIEvESNECkLACE ByMELISSA CLEMENTE

SWEATER ByCOMRAgS

EARINgS ByMELISSACLEMENTE

dRESS ByPRELOvEd

End of Summer 201011

Toronto’s Anitra Hamilton is a contem-porary artist whose works are inspired from the records of war and heroic times. She implements incongruity and irony in her works to bring life to them. Most of Hamilton’s works are created by mixed media collages, while among them are also some pieces given life with acrylic paint and broken eggshells. She has also explored and examined the limits of latex paint in many of her sequence works. According to Hamil-ton, the “projects explore recurring in-terests in territoriality, hierarchy, and ownership.” As I browsed through the images of her latest exhibitions around the world, I realized that there is a sense of calm-ing harmony and rhythm within the art objects. The use of colour and texture for aesthetic purposes can be clearly observed. I could not help but wonder, if these creative works of art had any other aspect to represent other than the fact that they are some unique and beautifully handcrafted pieces. How-ever, it turns out that there is a much deeper scope to these masterpieces. All of them portray an aspect of war and its consequences. She deals with them by focusing “on subtle manipulations of objects that tease our objects’ inherent tensions.”[3] Hamilton defines inherent tensions as the duality of good and evil that exists in all human beings. She conveys this message by decorating warfare objects like the Bomb, Reconnaissance (the painting covered in eggshells), and The Still Life of Fruits (grenades covered in eggshells) in a very lavish and mes-merizing way. According to her, for in-

stance, when people look at the Bomb covered in eggshells, they say things like: “Theyʼre beautiful,”[4] and then they catch themselves appreciating the beauty of the art work while they should be tangled in thoughts of fear and terror. Her renowned installation of the Bomb

covered in eggshells conveniently hangs from the ceiling at chest-height which enables easier examining of the work. The more time I spent observing the overall characteristics of it, the more I shifted away from my first impressions of the overall aesthetics of the piece. As Hamilton expected, I also came across what she calls “inherent intentions.”[5] I soon realized that the object presented before my eyes should ignite thoughts of fear and anxiety in my mind, which was not the case. I also noticed another theme of construction and destruc-tion which presented another motif of duality in the piece. To explain this, I imagine the bomb being used to destroy cities and lives and foreshadowing this theme with its broken eggshells cam-ouflage while, on the contrary, it is in most cases suspended so majestically in the centre of the gallery conveying thoughts of rigidness and construction For all that Hamilton’s works are mini-malist in their various aspects such as their rigid geometry, the use of mono-chromatic colour scheme, and uniform textures, they employ a powerful drift

that contradicts their outward sub-lime nature and pose a strong state-ment from its very core, which in turn, takes a firm stance on the matters of war and destruction. My first impres-sion of her works revolved around the very beautiful and captivating nature of the art works. But the more time I spent analyzing her works and experi-encing it, the more I was drowning my self in thoughts of duality aspects of the human life. Our desire lies in try-ing to deny the realities of tragic things and their consequences in our lives: in this case objects that trace their roots to subjects of war.

ARTIST SPOTLIgHT:ANITRA HAMILTON

Hamilton definesinherent tensions as the duality of good and evil that exists in all human beings.

BTHE dESIgNER

by FARHAD MANOUCHEHRI

www.urbanemagazine.org

LONg dAy’S jOURNEy INTO NIgHTphoto essay by MATTHEW WALL

12

BTHE dESIgNER

13 End of Summer 2010

B

www.urbanemagazine.org 14

B

15End of Summer 2010

B

16www.urbanemagazine.org

B

1

17 End of Summer 2010

The defining characteristic of mankind is not exclusively our ability to reason, to explore the deeper maters of exis-tence, or to ponder the mysteries and splendors of life, but to share our dis-coveries and answers with each other. This act of sharing one’s thoughts, or communicating, lies at the core of our social construct. Therefore communi-cation is the pillar upon which we, the paragon of social creatures, stand.Since the dawn of civilization mankind has been cognizant of the importance of communication. Ranging from Ju-deo-Christian to Sumerian tradition, ancient myths similar to the Tower of Babel have appeared in original form in both Eastern and Western culture. This recurring theme of the power of lan-guage, and the perils of losing our abil-ity to communicate, speak to the impor-tance that has been placed on dialogue,

unanimously, throughout the cultures of the world.

Human history has undergone monu-mental changes in the way and extent to which we communicate as a species. From primordial cave drawings in sub-Saharan Africa, to the advent of clearly defined language in the Nile Delta, and finally to the written and spoken word of the Hellenistic era, there has been a continued evolution of dialogue. When examining the engineering and societal advancements that correlate the suc-

cessive evolution of language, there is one conclusion that is hard to ignore. Our improved ability to communicate has not been an effect of our advance-ment. It has been the cause.

Whether we have, as a species, placed an emphasis on communication con-sciously or subconsciously is a question beyond the scope of this article. Howev-er it is apparent that many of our most profound achievements have led to im-proved communicative ability. From the advent of the printing press and the first landlines, to cell phones and eventually to the Internet, our ability to record, translate, and send thoughts has advanced further than any other technological endeavors. The year 2010 has arrived, but there are still no flying cars or limitless sources of sustainable energy, instead there are 3G cell phones

BETA BURNS BAByLON The technology of communication is developing faster than we could ever dream.

“This act of sharing one’s thoughts, or communicating, lies at the core of our social construct.

CTHE LOCAL

by ALEXANDER MOSA

18www.urbanemagazine.org

in the hands of 3rd graders, social net-working sites that eclipse the popula-

tions of most nations.We are currently undergoing another evolutionary step in communication. The phylogenetic tree of language is growing another node in the early 21st century, and is, for better or worse, cre-ating a new species of dialogue.

Few could have predicted the expan-sion of mass communication and online networking, but even fewer can predict the effects of such changes on our social fabric. Past changes have been positive for human civilization because they have emphasized an increased capac-ity to communicate. The advent of the printing press and consequent increase in literacy rates changed the world for the better. However it does not neces-sarily follow that the latest evolutionary step will be as benevolent.

The printing press and spread of litera-ture to common people increased their ability to communicate, and in certain abstract yet profound ways, to think. We were challenged to learn to read and write on a mass scale. The treasures of knowledge previously locked in the vaults of the minds of wealthy and the books they could afford were exposed to the common man. By virtue of expo-sure, new classes of people were con-fronted with ideas and questions that had hitherto been unknown to them. Mankind was made more intelligent by the confrontation between old ideas and new minds. A new species of sci-entist and artist was born from the cre-ation of the printing press. The spread of literature paved the way for the Mod-ern Man.

Our most recent step in the evolution of communication is not challenging us to increase the depth of our dialogue; it is challenging us to increase the speed. By the same process the spread literacy made our sentences more complete, our thoughts more fully expressed, the spread of text messaging is emphasiz-ing a streamlined detraction of our thoughts, an era of sentence fragments.

The merits of such “efficient” communi-cation are questionable. Jonathan Swift spoke of the streamlined language of the Laputan’s in Gulliver’s Travels to satirize Johnathon Wilkin’s Essay To-wards A Real Character And A Philo-sophical Language. Wilkin’s argues for the advent of an ultra efficient language that allows all thoughts to be expressed in as few a words possible. The logos appeal to this idea is obvious, however its implementation would spell not only the death of literature, but also far more importantly, the end of meaning-ful communication on a personal level. It would do to language what the Soviet Union did to clothes: one style fits all,

and the wool is always itchy.

Though most would consciously reject the language proposed by Wilkin’s, as a society we are subconsciously mov-ing closer and closer towards it. BRB, LOL, <3. Here is the abandonment of punctuation and “unnecessary vow-els”, the compaction of thoughts and feelings into 160 characters. This is the language we are riding on the edge of. These so-called efficient shortcuts are not only affecting our generation’s abil-ity to write, but also our ability to con-verse.

As we place more filters on our conver-

sations, we run the risk of gradually trimming away all of the “inefficiencies” that make communicating real and per-sonal. How often have you pondered a text message from a love interest and ran different responses through your mind until settling on the one you think will be best? These behaviors not only hinder our ability to think and speak fast, but they also generate a plethora of fake, emotionless words. They give people a daring confidence or a nasti-ness that they would not have in face-to-face conversation.

Charles Darwin explored the universal-ity of facial expression in The Expres-sion of Emotions in Man and Animals. His work, and the work of others that followed, established the degree to which facial expression and body lan-guage are important in communica-tion. It allows us to see past the surface of what is said, and to extract a deeper meaning from seemingly straightfor-ward interactions. What do we lose in communicating in the absence of such important contextual clues? In the ab-sence of face to face, can we ever really know what is being said to us? Or are we only making educated guesses? Can LOL and PSHH really substitute, in any way, the hundreds of thousands of facial expressions central to communi-cation? Would we, as a species, evolve such complex facial musculature if it weren’t an essential part of interaction?

During the time it took me to write this article, a little over an hour, I have writ-ten and responded to over 17 text mes-sages. It’s a fine balance between Babel and Blackberry.

We are currently undergoing another evolutionary step in communication.

Opinions? To discuss the intersection of culture, communication, and technology, visit www.urbanemagazine.org

1

“In the absence of face to face, can we ever really

know what is being said to us?

“We are currently

undergoing another evolutionary step in

communication.

CTHE LOCAL

19 End of Summer 2010

It was my first afternoon in Bordeaux. The early bus ride from San Sebastian had left me tired and hungry. As I waited in line to pay for my chocolate bar, I couldn’t help but notice the remarkably chic woman in front of me. Her gray-streaked blonde hair was pulled back into an elegant chignon, high-lighting the cheekbones of her perfectly made-up face. Her blazer was flawlessly tailored to accentuate her petite form. Intrigued, I started analyzing the other women waiting in line with me.

A girl of about 21 had a blunt fringe that mingled with her eyelashes, and expertly-applied fire truck red lipstick. The woman in front of her managed to look sophisticated in spite

of the tightness of her jeans, the simplicity of her turtleneck, and the noisiness of the two Gallic brats at her ankles.

My face turned as red as the soles of her Louboutins when I realized how underdressed I was.In a grocery store.

As I stood there in my backpacking uniform – my comfy American Apparel hoodie and leggings that I’d worn almost every day for the last four weeks – it dawned on me: Europe-ans dress a lot better than Canadians.

I promptly went back to my hotel and changed.

Photo by TomCardoso

BORdEAUX, BORdEAUX by ALLEYNE LEDE

CTHE LOCAL

““

20www.urbanemagazine.org

Writing Contest Winner

The incident in the grocery store wasn’t the first time that I’d detected a sort of fashion divide between Toronto style and European style. I’d sensed it on my first night in Venice when I discovered that, after 9 p.m., only designer sunglass bou-tiques (and creepy Venetian mask stores) were not only open, but buzzing with customers.

As I hopped from city to city for two months this summer, wearing my slouchy sweaters and sensible Birkenstocks, it became increasingly clear that, in Europe, fashion is more than just something that you put on your back. Europeans at-tack style the same way that they attack their food, their archi-tecture, and their art. As with the loaded flavours of authentic Spanish paella, the perfection of Michelangelo’s David, and the beauty of the Eiffel Tower lit up against the night sky, Eu-ropean style seems to reflect structure, passion, elegance, and tradition in such a way that it seems inborn. Only in Europe will you find pre-schoolers playing tag in Ray Ban wayfarers, loafers, and belted trench coats.

This isn’t to say that all Europeans leave the house looking like extras from 8 1/2. I often saw Europeans dressed in Con-verse All-Stars or jeans. Hell, in every city I visited I saw at least one person sporting the very same American Apparel that I felt so self-conscious in. But the distinction between their dressing-down and the Canadian equivalent is clear, from the je ne sais quoi with which they carry themselves, to their choice of dress-down apparel. You won’t find many locals wandering the Champs Elysées in sweat pants and an Ed Hardy tee, but you will, however, see men in seersucker shorts and tailored shirts with the right buttons undone, or women in short-shorts and an over-sized tee-shirts. But even the most casual look seems well put together. Hair is either immaculately styled, or deliberately tousled. Makeup is

faultlessly executed. Eyebrows are groomed, and this goes for both sexes.

As my European adventure drew to a close, I couldn’t help but feel a little depressed at the thought of returning to a city that seemed trendy and inelegant in contrast.

But as I sat on the subway speeding back to my downtown apartment after six weeks away from it, I couldn’t help but notice the variety that presented its self to me: a girl in full goth attire sitting next to an Alexander Wang lookalike; a potential Ralph Lauren muse next to a girl in a Calvin Klein hijab. The contrast and variety, I realised, was never as pal-pable in most of the European cities that I’d visited (London and Paris are the obvious exceptions).

In Toronto, fashion is a constant flux. Trends come and go, and street style changes from season to season. But as a young city with many different cultural and ethnic influences, how can we be expected to establish a single, signature aesthetic? While, in contrast to the established, classic tastes of Western Europe, this may seem juvenile, it is what makes Toronto’s style so interesting.

Our bric-a-brac, mosaic of a culture is also the perfect envi-ronment for experimentation. You can be dressed in a tulle petticoat and legwarmers without getting a second glance from anyone but the most observant worshippers of fashion. You can venture out in spandex biker shorts and a crop top and no one would bat an eyelash. In an environment where everyone is constantly trying to redefine their style, you feel free to define yours.

I guess it might not always be fashionable, but it’s still nice.

My face turned red as the soles of her Louboutins when I realized how underdressed I was ... in a grocery store.

D

21 End of Summer 2010

onetheless, those 15 to 20 hours obviously give the chance for Gringos like us (me, and especially

you, the reader) to appreciate and absorb the South American scenery. Aside from landscapes more original than our bland countryside, or the occasional farming family together struggling in isolated areas, the Peruvian road has particularly noteworthy sights for those with a political eye. In and around the cities (indeed, the highways go right through urban areas, on level with the streets), one may notice a plethora of walls painted in the colors and expressions of the various Peruvian political parties. Imagine the residence walls of, say, New College with “Vote for Harper” painted at 3 by 10 metres in blue, followed by the same thing in red with “Iggy for the future” – you get the idea.

Much of these massive, painted billboards are intended for the 2011 Peruvian presidential elections. And unlike, for example, Ahmadinejad’s election in Iran, these elections do

have significance. In spite of excessive corruption and some indecent practices by the government, Peru is

a representative democracy, with an established constitution ensuring the fulfillment of the

democratic process. It has a multi-party system, its recognized parties ranging

from far-left to conservative platforms, and not one or two parties considerably

bigger than others, as is the case in most democracies. With the incumbent Alan

Garcia ineligible for re-election, Peru will be voting a new face to office. At less than a year from elections, the outcome can hardly be predicted.

Around Chimbote, a small city on the coast, 5 to 6 hours north of Lima, one sees the campaign murals everywhere

– one green mural says “Yehude Simon Presidente”. Yehude Simon, former

PM, is head of a moderate humanist left-wing party, Peruvian of Jewish heritage;

I guess you do find Jews all over the place. Most abundant are the red murals of

APRA (i.e. “American Revolutionary Popular Alliance”) and Accion Popular who in spite of

their names, are considered centrist – the APRA is notably Alan Garcia’s party. Yet what caught my eye

around Chimbote was a well-faded political mural of a

N

Dreaming in DemocracyIn Peru, the modest traveler

gets from one place to another by bus.

For the equivalent of 30 to 40 dollars, one

can easily buy a ticket for a gruelling

15 to 20 hour journey

across the country.

DTHE dIPLOMAT

22www.urbanemagazine.org

decade before, bearing “Fujimori Presidente 2000”. Alberto Fujimori, of Japanese descent, was president from 1990 to 2000. Popular (and controversial) for much of that time, he eventually fell out of power amidst allegations of various criminal activities and electoral fraud. In 2009, he was found guilty of various human rights violations and embezzlement, and sentenced in total to over 30 years in prison. Ten years after his political fall and one year after his sentence, Alberto Fujimori is far from finished. The right-wing party of his supporters has over 10% representation in the Peruvian Congress. More noteworthy is the case of Keiko Fujimori, his daughter. Prominently represented among the political murals are those supporting Keiko’s candidacy. A member of the Congress since 2006, Ms. Fujimori is running on a platform reminiscent to her father’s. Her platform also includes the intent to officially pardon her father. Ironically, despite her father’s ill-repute, she is currently leading the election polls.

If Ms. Fujimori is elected, then the man behind the ruthless, careless measures taken against radical left rebel groups (often causing the death of non-involved civilians); the improper use of state funds; and the forced sterilization of indigenous women (I can go on), would be freed and then

probably returned to Peru’s political stage. On top of what you may think concerning this possibility, it is above all ironic. These events are still very fresh in history and yet the Fujimori group is already back, with the strongest support among all candidates. And let me reassure you, Peru has enough freedom of information to know who Keiko is.

This reveals the nature of South America, a place where people from different backgrounds and places discern considerably different realities, to the point where they defend their interests with ardent passion and sincere concern. By now democracy is rather well-integrated in people’s minds, though not wholly assimilated and appreciated. The UN education index is above 0.850 throughout the continent – not bad, though progress can be made. All in all, the continent is “on the way”. Yet Peru’s multi-party democracy cannot necessarily keep Alberto Fujimori in jail, nor completely fade his campaign murals. For that matter, the current constitution was written and enforced by his government. The recent past of civil wars and the current, constant ideological conflicts preserve a tense atmosphere, where not every person can be happy, and some can be entirely destroyed.

article and photos by simon luling

Walls painted in support of Accion Popular