GLENN JAMPOL, Artist in Residence

Monte Azul was pleased to host resident artist Glenn Jampol during the month of June.

The artist has ventured into unchartered territory by producing a series of monotypes, the first in his career. It was a challenge initially but the artist’s approach to painting is well suited to the medium. Glenn works from a very spontaneous eye, incorporating imagery, shapes and colors from his immediate surroundings. An artist with a lifelong curiosity of the visual world, with as an obsession with shapes, colors and textures, Jampol takes full advantage of his natural affinity to the medium of paint and his special ability to interpret three dimensional objects on a flat surface, to produces a series of exceptional works.

The artist’s previous series of works were painted on marble tiles, on which he responded directly to the veins and colors of the natural stone. At Monte Azul the artist took a more abstract approach to his materials by evoking the immediate surroundings encountered on a daily basis along trails, riverside and even household objects found in the studio. Trees, stones, patterns of lichens on boulders and even a dog’s rubber toy, all managed to enter his imagery after filtering, reducing and being interpreted by Glenn into abstracted iconic versions of their former selves.

Each piece is an expression or a quotation, if you will, from the artist’s visual lexicon. Suggestions of movement with joints between disparate shapes offers cohesion, as well as tension, between these dynamic elements and are counteracted by static bits and pieces, whose forms perhaps suggest a numeral or a letter, or even just a spot of color.

Jampol invites the viewer to see the world as he does. It’s as if looking through a lens into an unfamiliar world inhabited by quasi-mechanical beings that go about their existence in a landscape defined by fields of color, at times solid as steel and at other times vaporous or liquid. The monotypes in particular seem to behave as portraits of these creatures, musical and somehow in perpetual motion, qualities that are impossible in this media, of course, but are so strongly suggested that a viewer will often do a double-take to confirm it.

The result is a fresh and approachable series of works, each with an idiosyncratic and easy charisma, so that they behave beautifully in groups or as individuals.

Jampol’s career as an artist started in San Francisco/Oakland as a student of art at UC Berkeley, where he earned an MA in History of Art and an MFA in painting in sculpture. From there, Jampol’s career lead him to prominent exhibitions in New York, Chicago and Berlin.

In 1989 the artist moved with his entire family from his Tribeca studio to the highlands of central Costa Rica where he dedicated his energies to opening one of Costa Rica’s most acclaimed hotels, Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation and Inn. In the early 1990s, Glenn was involved with the small contemporary arts community in San José and served as President of the Board for the internationally acclaimed gallery and publishing house of TeroéTica located in Barrio Amón, San José. Recently the artist has exhibited in the National Gallery of Costa Rica and at Monte Azul Studio.

At Monte Azul, Glenn Jampol was invited to produce oil on panel works, his preferred medium, and challenged to work without the use of harsh chemicals, and instead employ materials that are friendly to the immediate environment. The artist rose to the challenge by adapting his technique not only by using special water-soluble oil paints and paint thinners made from organic-based and non-petrol ingredients, but also by exploring new media.

Applying his knowledge of painting to the technique of monotyping, Jampol delivered several excellent works on paper using water soluble inks. Meeting the challenge of using unfamiliar techniques and difficult to master inks, the artist delivered an impressive body of new works. Monte Azul proudly offers these pieces to guests not just as an example of our commitment to sustainability, but also to our strict adherence to the highest curatorial standards.

To view or purchase these works please contact Carlos Rojas at +506 2742 5222 or carlos@monteazulcr.com

11 August 2010
Alvaro Gomez
Exhibition at the Galería Nacional Museum: El umbral del jardinero (The Threshold of the Gardener)
New Paintings on canvas.
Also introducing the artist’s first mixed media screenprint edition.

Reception:
Galería Nacional, Wednesday August 11 at 7:00 pm.

Cool off with a tall glass of icy Toad Water… a tasty drink?

Actually, it’s called Agua de Sapo in Costa Rica and it’s a traditional drink made from tapa de dulce (unrefined sugar), limes and ginger, not something our little friend pictured above would sit around in.

This zesty beverage originated in Limón province, the sultry Caribbean region of Costa Rica, an area known for its strong Afro-Caribbean influences. In the 19th century, with the commercialization of coffee in Costa Rica and the resulting economic boom, a reliable transportation system to the Caribbean port of Limón was needed. British railroad builders brought Jamaican workers to construct the country’s first railroad line from the port of Limón to San José.

When the construction of the railroad was done, the Jamaicans remained and settled on the Caribbean coast. Since then, Limón has been home to a majority population of Jamaican descendents. The region’s cultural roots are apparent in the language which is a Patois based on Jamaican English, with French, Spanish and Bri Bri (the principal indigenous people of the area) influences. The culinary traditions also include a variety of influences from these same cultures, and in this beautiful land with its unique cultural and racial blend is where our Agua de Sapo, or Toad Water was created.

No one is quite sure how the drink got its name, but perhaps it comes from the color of the puddles where one may often find a toad cooling off from the Caribbean heat

The principal ingredient is tapa de dulce, or depending on what part of Latin America you may find yourself: raspadura, rapadura, atado dulce, chancaca (del quechua chankaka), empanizao, papelón, piloncillo, panocha to name some variations.

To produce tapa de dulce, freshly pressed cane juice is heated to a very high temperature until it reduces into a thick paste which is poured into molds traditionally cut into a hardwood log. The liquid is left to cool and dry as it subsequently hardens.

The rural institution or locale where the process takes place is called a Trapiche where, traditionally, oxen driven mills extracted the juice from the sugar cane. Today the oxen have been replaced by machines but in some parts of Costa Rica visitors may visit traditional trapiches and experience the original method of producing this product.

Because the process is simple and does not isolate the sugar from the tapa de dulce’s other components, it in fact retains the sugar in the forms of glucose and fructose and actually contains nutrients such as proteins and minerals like calcium, iron and phosphorous as well as ascorbic acid.

In addition to the tapa de dulce, agua de sapo includes limes and ginger. Amazing how something this simple can be so delicious and so refreshing on a hot day.

For an adult or party twist, we often add a shot of Guaro or aguardiente (Costa Rica’s national alcoholic beverage), also made from sugar cane. As an option, a white rum will do very nicely as well.

Salud! Cheers and to your health!

Recipe for Agua de Sapo, serves 6
1 tapa de dulce
250 grams (or one cup) of ginger, coarsely chopped, may be adjusted to taste
1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (with pulp)
4 quarts of water
Ice
Lime wedges or slices for garnish

1. Place tapa de dulce and 1 quart water in a stock pot
2. Slightly bruise the chopped and peeled ginger with a mallet
3. Add ginger to stock pot and boil at medium heat until tapa de dulce is dissolved and mixture has boiled an additional 10 minutes
4. Remove from heat and let cool
5. Strain mixture to remove ginger. Squeeze out ginger with a spoon and add this liquid back to the pot
6. Add 1 cup of lime juice and enough cold water to make a gallon, mix thoroughly
7. Allow to cool completely and chill in the refrigerator. The flavors are better developed if allowed to sit overnight, but may be served once chilled
8. Pour over a glass full of ice and garnish with lime slice or wedge

Community Spotlight: Henry Bastos

Henry Bastos, based in San José, is an intrinsic member of our extended arts community. His easy, gentile manner belies the energy and accomplishments of a person with a passion for learning and special ability to get things done.

As a young man in his early 30s, through his latest project, Art City Tour, Henry Bastos emerges as a key promoter and supporter of such varied media as theater, the visual arts and music. It would be easy to picture Mr. Bastos at a Chelsea gallery reception, and with a background in industrial design, publishing and graphic design this quintessential urbanite’s background surprises even his closest friends.

In a place very similar to the distant countryside where Monte Azul is located, Henry was raised in a completely agricultural environment. Growing up, Henry recalls having to get up at 3:30 in the morning to complete his chores before leaving the house at 5:00 a.m. and arriving at his high school by 7:00 a.m. After returning home at 5:00 p.m., Henry also tended to additional chores before dinner and finally settled to do homework and an early bedtime.

As much as he loved the countryside, Mr. Bastos’ curiosity about the world and his thirst for knowledge kept him motivated to work. After being accepted into the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, the country’s premier college for applied sciences, Henry completed a degree in Industrial Design and subsequently worked as a graphic designer for many newspapers and magazine publishers..

Because of his passion for fine art, eventually, Henry Bastos came to co-found and publish Artmedia magazine in Costa Rica. The international magazine covers the fine arts scene in Central America and the Caribbean region with reviews, interviews and editorial articles.

More recently, Mr. Bastos founded, created and produces a monthly publication called GAM Cultural, San José first cultural guide, which celebrates its first anniversary next month. The idea came to Henry while working for Artnexus magazine. Colleagues from abroad would travel to San José on business and ask him to recommend activities or places to visit. Henry soon realized that there was no centralized source for cultural events other than a few online and printed guides. Although these guides offered listing of places to go, they did not include a calendar of events.

Henry Bastos then took it upon himself to conceptualize, design, produce and edit GAM Cultural, GAM standing for “Gran Area Metropolitana” or the greater metropolitan area. However, Henry did not stop there. A firm believer in his city’s capacity to offer a genuinely rich cultural experience to visitors and residents alike, Henry also inaugurated the Art City Tour.

The Art City Tour is a beautifully organized evening event in which participants are invited to visit the city’s galleries, theatres, restaurants and music venues on a predetermined evening, every other month. Henry handles, singlehandedly, the logistics of creating up to four shuttle lines which moves guests, free of charge, between venues.

The previous Art City Tour attracted over 1,100 participants who enjoyed live music, theatre, dance, performance, fine art, dining and cocktails. In August, the Art City Tour will add the National Gallery for the first time, including Alvaro Gomez’s exhibition there, sponsored and presented by Monte Azul.

Henry Bastos offers visitors an opportunity to see beyond the chaos and congestion that our capital is known for, and get up close, experiencing the optimistic, creative and vibrant community of artists who live and work here. Each month GAM Cultural lists over 150 different events, organized by date, time and discipline, and never repeats a single one. For example, a theater opening will be listed only on opening night, same with a gallery reception. The variety of activities is quite astonishing, and the quality of dining options in San José impresses even the most demanding visitors.

From his childhood beginnings on a family farm, to publishing a critically acclaimed contemporary art magazine, Henry Bastos epitomizes the resourcefulness and creativity of a new generation of Costa Ricans.

Visitors to Monte Azul may contract Henry Bastos to organize a private visit of San José, including visits to galleries, museums, theatre and dining. Please contact Henry Bastos directly at 8817 3136 or bastoshenry@gmail.com as well as through Monte Azul at info@monteazulcr.com or +506 2742 5222.

info@monteazulcr.com