This is a fantastic blog of the morning routines of famous creative types. What is most striking is that despite variations among the routines themselves, there is absolute rigor and discipline in all of them. Everyone seems to be getting up at dawn. The work seems really unbearable—which I can relate to. I never trust artists who actually enjoy what they do. Women writers especially seem to fare the worst, having to squeeze in work between diaper changes and early morning feedings.
Yesterday I went to my grandfather’s radiology clinic located downtown Guayaquil. I had two goals. One was to investigate the dichotomy of medical technology at the clinic and the other was to get a pork sandwich at a little stand a couple blocks away. Every time I visit I tend to get up early a couple times a week and accompany my Aunts and Grandfather to his clinic just to eat pork sandwiches as a late breakfast, in fact depending on what I eat tonight for dinner I am considering going again tomorrow morning. My love for pork sandwiches was late coming. When I was younger and living in Quito I was always given the impression that eating pork sandwiches on the street was a surefire path to amoebic dysentery. This somewhat contradicts the fact that my family would take trips outside of the city to buy roasted pork (hornero or fritada) sold on the highways. During the summer of 2002 I visited my grandparents and my brother really sold me on the sandwich. So far I have never felt sick from a delicious pork sandwich with pickled onions, and rind sitting on top. Pork Sandwich is Love.
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The clinic never changes. There are constant squabbles and speculation as to whether they should buy new equipment. When my Aunt Chechi suddenly passed away a few weeks ago there was some concern about the equipment that she owned. What is to be done with it? Is it too old? Should they sell it and buy a new sonogram machine? Does her husband want to keep it? I am not sure what the developments are on that. While the clinic does not ever seem to change and needs a serious make-over, the one thing that has changed is the loss of Chechi. She was the one who really ran the clinic and made all the big decisions. At the time Judy is doing what she can but is not especially interested in running it the way Chechi did. One step I know they are taking is making my grandfather’s name a trademark. I guess as a way to franchise the radiology business in Guayaquil a bit. His clinic is well known enough it seems.
MAAC
Finally made it to the MAAC today. They were only showing a couple expositions. One was a retrospective of Ecuadorian artist Estuardo Maldonado. My Aunt Judy tells me that she remembers going to his first shows during the 70’s. I am not entirely sure what to think of his work. There is something somewhat old-fashioned about it. But I did like some of his reliefs and sculpture. I bought the catalogue and some other catalogues of previous shows at the MAAC that seemed interesting.
I really am enjoying reading all the art theory and criticism here. I am trying to obtain as many art/culture related magazines as I can. Some of them are hard to come by as the best ones such as Diners Club magazine aren’t really on sale for the public. They are given away with purchases or with credit card use. I am regretting not having bought the Anaconda Journal. I am going to have go back to the store and get it.
On the way to the MAAC I went with Judy to artist Manuel Ucarte’s studio. He gives studio classes on the side for money. My aunt and her friend are taking lessons from him. Manuel was muy buena gente. I showed him some pictures of what I’ve been working on and we had a nice talk. I am going to be sure to visit him again. I have all these questions I didn’t realize to ask. His wife made very nice eucalyptus tea and served really delicious fresh papaya.
