FEDERICO HERRERO, Artist in Residence

Federico Herrero (b. 1978) is arguably Costa Rica’s most notable artist of our time. Invited twice to the Venice Biennale, (awarded Best Young Artist in 2001, invited to exhibit in 2009), Herrero’s work was displayed in the Latin American pavilion, which for the first time in the Biennale’s history was located in the central armory.

Herrero’s work is greatly inspired by his surroundings, in great part by the city of San José. Known for chaos and congestion, this improbable patchwork of urban disarray is also dynamic and industrious, inhabited by a young population whose median age is only 27. Herrero’s understanding of his surroundings extends beyond the sensorial elegance of his paintings derived from the seductive disorder of the city.

His keen understanding of how the perception of color is affected by light and energy allows apparently disparate fields of color to coexist on his canvasses. Voids of exposed gesso, with densely worked acrylic paint, oil paint, ball point doodles and random spray paint seem like a recipe for disaster, however, the apparent disarray and random placement is finely orchestrated and held together with the same youthful optimism of his home city. However, this is only one of the many layers of a work that goes beyond interpretation of a landscape and in fact, delivers a fantastical awareness or reality of its own.

Herrero places “eyes”, white circles with black centers, throughout his paintings. In effect, the paintings take on an existence on their own terms, returning the viewer’s gaze in a game of who’s watching whom as well as blurring the line that separate the material world from the realm of the imagination. Within the color field, shapes and voids, Herrero often introduces creatures of his own creation, adding yet another dimension.

At Monte Azul Herrero was removed from his asphalt and concrete jungle and planted face to face with an organic jungle of rock and exuberant plant life inhabited by unfamiliar beings. The artist’s fascination with interrelationships, color and form was further aroused and he challenged himself to expand not only his visual lexicon, but also to explore new media.

As a result of his experience at Monte Azul, Federico Herrero produced five canvasses and a series of works on paper and for the first time in his professional career, a series of monotypes.

'One of the things that I enjoyed the most during my time at Monte Azul was the people I met there, the people from the hotel as well as the people from the town of Chimirol. Everyone was a character, and there was so much kindness, I can only think that nature can bring these things out in people. However, there is something else about the valley where Monte Azul is located, something more like magical.

I never been very lucky in seeing animals in the wild, but in the studio they actually came to me! I saw for the first and only time, so far, a Tolomuco (Tyra in English), an animal that looked like a combination of a fox and a cat, like some being not from this Earth. This animal moves with such grace within the forest, I can’t stop thinking about it. While painting and working at the studio it was one of the most inspiring things I have experienced, with the embrace of the mountains and all the life that was there, looking at you, staring with curiosity.

There are times in life when one feels just fine, like if there is some clarity and peace, the times I have been in Monte Azul have been like that.'

--Federico Herrero
Monte Azul Artist in Residence
2010

Federico Herrero lives and works near San Jose, Costa Rica. He graduated from Pratt Institute in New York in 1998. In the past few years he has exhibited his work in prestigious international institutions such as the Watari Museum of Contemporary Art, Japan; Centro Cultural Conde Duque, Spain; First Prague Biennial, Czech Republic; Musee d’art moderne de la ville de Paris, France; and the Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan, among many others, as well as various art fairs and biennials including Art Basel, Venice Biennale, Seville Biennial, Aichi World Expo in Nagoya, Japan.

Guayabas come in Season!

As summer fades in Costa Rica and we enter what is now know as the Green Season, a charming marketing term for the rainy season, and suitably so. This time of year offers crystal clear, warm mornings, perfect for any outdoor activity. The afternoon or evening rains convert Costa Rica into a spectacular, gigantic green house. It is the favorite time of year for many residents and visitors alike, as gardens and mountainsides shimmer in an incredible array of greens interspersed with brightly colored flowers, butterflies and plants.

With the afternoon rains come the perfect conditions for the guayaba trees to fruit. The fruit is known as ‘guava’ in English and is native to Central America. Now cultivated throughout the tropics, the guava family offers dozens of varieties in an array of flavors ranging from tart to very sweet.

The most prevalent variety in Costa Rica is the Psidium guajava, or Apple Guava, but better known simply as the Guava. The blossom, pictured above, produces this popular fruit throughout the season.

The fruit has a relatively hard yellow to green skin and outer layer and contains a very sweet, pink or white pulpy center filled with tiny seeds. The fruit are not only savored by humans, but also by many mammals and birds which disburse the seeds throughout the countryside.

Not just delicious, the guava has four times the fiber, more potassium and 19 times the vitamin C of an apple, 25 times the Vitamin C of a bunch of grapes, and 4 times the fiber! Some medical research shows that extracts from the leaves and bark may hold therapeutic use against cancer, bacterial infections, inflammation and pain, with essential oils from the guava leaves showing strong anti-cancer activity in vitro.

At Monte Azul this amazing fruit is enjoyed by our guests in smoothies or delicious guava jams made by the local Women’s Cooperative using pure organic ingredients, which are enjoyed at breakfast or on a soft roll late on a rainy afternoon as a traditional Costa Rican ritual simply known as el café de la tarde. In the evening we dress up our guayaba as part of a favorite meal: Guayaba glazed pork loin, served on a bed of arugula (the peppery arugula contrasts wonderfully with the sweet guava glaze) or simply with side vegetables accompanied by pureed ñampí, (Colocasia esculentavar) another Central American native that grows wild in Monte Azul, and known as Taro in Asia). It is also delicious on grilled chicken.

Recipe for Pork Loin with Guava Sauce
3 pork tenderloins (1 to 1 1/2 pounds each)
1/2 bottle red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
6 garlic cloves, peeled
Olive oil for grilling

Guava Sauce
12 ounces guava jam or paste (cut into small cubes)
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt

Marinate the pork loin overnight in the wine, balsamic vinegar and garlic. The pork may also marinate for just a few hours if necessary.

In a small saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally until the ingredients form a thick sauce, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

On a hot grill place the pork loin brushed with olive oil and sear each side for about a minute. Lower the heat and cook, covered, turning every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Brush the guava sauce after each turn.

When the pork is done, remove and let rest for about five minutes, brush it with a generous amount of sauce. When ready to serve, slice into 1-inch medallions. Make sure it is served warm. Serve on a bed of arugula, bok choy or mustard greens, or with sautéed vegetables, accompanied by pureed taro root or potatoes with a hint of garlic.

Staff Spotlight: Adrián Alvarado

Now the General Manager of Monte Azul, Adrián worked his way up the Monte Azul ladder very quickly. In fact, Adrián’s history with the Monte Azul property goes back 25 years, nearly to the day he was born. As our nearest neighbor he recalls growing up just across the street and playing futbol in the cow pastures while being watched closely by the curious Capuchin monkeys, leaving his friends to name the spot “Monkey Futbol Field.” He recalls catching minnows in the streams, picking oranges and guavas off the trees, and in the summer enjoying the best swimming hole in the area, which is still here in the Chirripó River.

He never dreamed he would actually end up working at a hotel just a stone’s throw from his front door. In fact, Adrián ended up spending a couple of years working at a New Jersey pizzeria, where he quickly learned English the hard way: “The owner of the pizzeria left me alone for the first time, and even though I barely spoke English, I was responsible for answering the phone. When the phone rang for the first time I freaked out and got really nervous. I managed to answer the call and it was a big order, eight pizzas! Alone that afternoon I managed to get the eight pizzas done while still taking a couple of orders in between. I was so proud of myself when the customer showed up a little early and his order was completely ready. He got a little confused when I rang up his order: he had asked for “a” pizza and not “eight” pizzas…”

Starting out as a construction laborer during the initial construction at Monte Azul, it became evident that this young man’s intrepid attitude and leadership qualities had barely been put to use. Over a very short time Adrián demonstrated the exact qualities we required for the job of Manager and he quickly rose to meet every challenge tossed in his direction from shoveling dirt, to building walls and foot bridges, to finishing fine cabinetry and mastering 21st century business technologies.

Mr. Alvarado manages the hotel with an easy efficiency that would be the envy of many larger operations. Since his eight pizza episode, Adrian has mastered the English language with astonishing ease. Taking advantage of Monte Azul’s commitment to education and professional development, Adrián is completing his secondary school degree with plans to attend college. Currently he is enrolled in an English immersion course which is four months long and meets for 30 hours per week, plus gives 20 more hours of homework weekly, all while working as hotel manager and handling his home and community responsibilities.

Having learned to organize and manage projects and staff efficiently, Mr. Alvarado is applying his new skills to help others in his community with several impressive accomplishments: the youngest President of the Village Council in history, founding member of the village recycling program, council member of the first regional municipal planning committee, a passionate member of the Chimirol futbol team, member of the community relations committee of the first regional recycling and solid waste disposal program and a regular volunteer in organized community works.

Monte Azul is proud to have Mr. Alvarado as a member of our team, however, it is our guests who benefit the most from his efficiency, and mostly from his genuine enjoyment of providing a quality experience for each and every guest.

info@monteazulcr.com