CHILE: Santiago – Paradise Lost

After spending five days in the paradise of Rapa Nui and leaving with a warm glow, it took only five minutes for it to dissolve into the chaotic rubble that is Santiago. I regretted having left the island at all, and redoubled my commitment to return in the future. Perhaps, next year will find me on Rapa Nui for 2-3 weeks.

BOMB SQUAD – VAN WITH THE YELLOW STRIPES

I was welcomed back to town by the bomb squad just 75 meters from my hotel. This would kick off another week of tear gas, mayhem, water-canons, and rubber bullets. In retrospect, I clearly overshot the mark on my stress tolerance capacity. Had I vacated the city a couple of days earlier or relocated to another part of town, I would have avoided some very unpleasant side effects.

LEFTOVER BRICKS FROM A BARRICADE

THE LATEST FASHIONS

ANOTHER BARRICADE THAT FUCTIONED EARLIER

ONE SERIOUSLY TRIPPED OUT IMAGE

ACAB – ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS

GRAFFITI EVERYWHERE

THE RICH HAVE SENT DEATH PACKING SINCE THEY DON’T LIKE THERE BEING SOMETHING THAT EXISTS OVER WHICH THEY HAVE NO DISCERNABLE CONTROL

GATE TO THE FORMER US EMBASSY

WALL OUTSIDE THE FORMER EMBASSY

LASTARRIA NEIGHBORHOOD OUTDOOR MARKET

THIS IS THE MOST REPULSIVELY CUTE PUPPET I HAVE EVER MET. THE DANGLING RODENT TAIL, THE SNAGGLE TEETH, RATTLING CHANGE CUP, AND RAUCOUS LAUGH ALL ADD UP TO THE MOST PLEASURABLE STREET PERFORMER YOU’RE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER IN ANY CITY IN THE WORLD. JUST IMAGINE ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE SESAME STREET CHARACTERS GOT AHOLD OF SOME QUESTIONABLE DRUGS AND WENT VERY, VERY BAD. I MEAN MAKE OSCAR LOOK GOOD, BAD. I COULD BE COMPLETELY WRONG ABOUT THE CREATURE, BUT HE DID SEEM LIKE A BIT OF A MISCREANT.

I BOUGHT THAT ETCHING ON THE LOWER LEFT WHICH REALLY CAPTURED THE GOINGS ON HERE IN CHILE.

DIDN’T WANT TO MISS THE BITS ROUND THE CORNER

THERE IS STILL A LOT OF GOOD ART OUT THERE

SPACE INVADER – He was probably the artist responsible for this piece. It’s also a game I used to play in my twenties.

ROLLING BEHEMOTH WITH WATER CANONS

WATER CANONS

John HOLLISTER – PROTESTER POLLOCK – 2020

PLAYING WITH PHONES WHILE POLICE PREPARE FOR THEIR ASSAULT

POLICE DOING NORMAL POLICE THINGS FOR A CHANGE

THE POLICE ARE LINED UP AND READY FOR THE NIGHT’S CHALLENGE

NO HABRA PAZ SIN JUSTICIA

FORESTAL PARK

ESTEBAN – YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD WEED GUY

YET ANOTHER PIECE OF ART ALTERED BY GRAFFITI

NUEVA CONSTITUTION – NEW CONSTITUTION

ACAB – ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS

MORI – FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS

MORI’S SISTER

ANOTHER SISTER

ACAB – ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS

ACAB – ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS

THE BIG ADVANTAGE HERE IS THAT THE COLOR EVENTUALLY GOES AWAY. INK IS PRETTY MUCH FOREVER, AND THIS IS JUST AS RAD.

GREEN MACHINE – I LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE/OBJECTS ENTER ONE OF MY COMPOSITIONS AND COMPLEMENT A COLOR PREVALENT IN THE IMAGE

VICTOR JARA – THE SOUND OF THE REVOLUTION AGAINST PINOCHET

THE STREETCORNER ON THE LEFT IS WHERE THE FIRST DEATH OF THE CURRENT UNREST HAPPENED.

MUERE PACO – DIE PACO

John HOLLISTER – Abstract Extractions – 2020

UNA CONSTITUTION PARA TODOS – A CONSTITUTION FOR EVERYONE

NEGRO MATAPACOS

EYE BEAM

HOMELESS WITH STYLE & DIGNITY

MEMORIAL

AN ACTUAL SIGN OF NORMALCY – AN AREA NEXT TO THE TROUBLE ZONE THAT’S BEING PREPARED FOR PLANTING

THE NEXT DAY WE WERE TREATED TO THIS NEW TURF

EL ENEMIGO PODEROSO ES PIÑERA!! THE POWERFUL ENEMY IS PIÑERA

MATAPACOS – EVADE!

TIME GETS BLURRY IN SANTIAGO

NUEVA CONSTITUTION – NEW CONSTITUTION

PLACES ON PLAZA BAQUEDANO START TO OPEN UP

I NEVER KNEW THE NAME OF THE PLACE, BUT THEY MADE A DELICIOUS CHURRASCO ITALIANO WHICH IS A CHILEAN NATIONAL SANDWICH MADE WITH SHREDDED BEEF TOMATO AND GUACAMOLE.

THEY FED ME, AND THE CAFE TABLE HAD A VIEW OF FORESTAL PARK

PEOPLE GO TO THE PARKS TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL

PEOPLE DOING NORMAL STUFF

MORE NORMAL STUFF

ANOTHER REGULAR PRACTICE IS HIJACKING TRUCKS HAULING DIRT

THE PROTESTERS CAPTURE A PILE OF DIRT

HONEST ABE – MAN, WE COULD USE HIM RIGHT ABOUT NOW

REMOVING TAGGING FROM FOUNTAIN

SOUTH AMERICA’S COME A LONG WAY ON THE GAY FRONT

GALLERY OPENING – You can’t keep a good artist down.

ACAB – ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS

PREPARING FOR NIGHTLY VIOLENCE

PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION

THIS PARK HAD A NUMBER OF HOMELESS CAMPS

MAKESHIFT DUMP – It dawned upon me that the locals came to the parks to escape rubble and ugliness. The last thing they need to see is this eyesore. I can do little to sort out the political situation, I can tidy up a bit. The best part was watching the locals going by wondering who the pasty-faced daft git who’s bagging trash. Unfortunately, it was 90 degrees in the shade and I ran out of gas after eight bags.

The remaining debris required a shovel anyway. I gave a resident of the nearby camp the other ten bags I had. Perhaps they’ll sort the rest.

If not, maybe I’ll deal with it upon my return.

TRASH DISCOVERIES: The homeless are just like the rest of us. They like to BBQ, they like drinking alcohol, some of them have kids, they like junk food, and some of them collect porn.

ACAB – ALL COPS ARE BASTARDS

HOSTAL RIO AMAZONAS – I was hosed down by a water cannon right outside my hotel. Fortunately, the water wasn’t treated with any noxious chemicals. I still took a shower and washed my clothes. There were rubber bullets fired at a couple of demonstrators right before I got drenched.

I fell asleep after lying down for a brief nap and didn’t wake up until four-thirty after all the action was over. I was glad since I’d had enough and thought my luck may have run out. Those rubber bullets do a lot of damage, especially the ones that Piñera’s troops use. They aren’t all rubber but contain ceramic and metal and can be fatal at close range.

MY ROOM WAS QUITE A CONTRAST TO THE CHAOS OUTSIDE

ART TUBE BOUND FOR THE STATES

I AM BOUND FOR BUENOS AIRES AND WISH SANTIAGO JUSTICE AND A SPEEDY RECOVERY. I’LL BE BACK IN A YEAR TO SEE HOW THING ARE COMING ALONG. I’LL BE RETURNING TO EASTER ISLAND AND MAKING MY FIRST VISIT TO PATAGONIA. I MAY TRY AND GO TO ANTARCTICA NEXT YEAR.