As now updated in the post on break dancing in Comuna 13, there are many tourists who come to see the artwork on the retaining walls in what was once a dangerous district – including us. It left us feeling quite ambivalent – clearly some of the locals are able to earn a living through commercialising what was born through terrible conflict – but a couple of streets away, it looked as if the neighbourhood was as poor as ever, although now with public services like electricity and water.
We were shown around by Alba, an extremely energetic Colombian who had lived on the border of the district (with a brand new tattoo of a dog on her thigh – she rescues animals – but I didn’t think I could take a photo without seeming a bit intrusive), and Nerón, one of the musicians from the district, who was part of a creative school nearby (see him below). I am sure you will all appreciate the final photo which was our group’s pathetic attempt to develop our tags – spot ours together with Nerón’s and Alba’s.
Yes it did seem like these neighbourhoods were still slums to us too. But I guess it’s a slow process and getting transportation and utilities is a start.
I shall be looking out for your tags around Camden in the future ( Sue, I think yours could do with a bit of work on the enigmatic front).
Yes, it’s a bit of a giveaway I guess though if I changed my actual name it might be a bit more mysterious?