Thank you for finding us! This is an old blog started in Mexico City several years ago. It was a rad experiment to work with so many artists in El Defectuoso and in many parts of South America. But we've moved up to The Bay Area in California so please follow us on Facebook.

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CULTURA SIN FRONTERAS

Por Cristian Rodriguez

Biologic Skateboarding, Bogota

Biologic Skateboarding, busca convertirse en una empresa productora de todos aquellos elementos necesarios para la practica del skateboarding en Colombia; incentivamos y proporcionamos a nuestros deportistas elementos que puedan servir como bases sólidas en el posicionamiento del skate tanto como una practica libre y sana del deporte y a su vez como un agente activo en la creación de industria y fuentes reales de ingresos.

La creación de nuevos espacios de practica de este deporte, la organización y promoción de eventos en los que se valoren el esfuerzo hecho por cada deportista, son características predominantes de nuestra empresa creando un impacto en la sociedad consumidora del skate, ya que nos vamos adecuando a las nuevas necesidades y a las expectativas cambiantes de cada consumidor, teniendo en cuenta que no solo tomamos a nuestros clientes como uno mas, sino que buscamos proporcionarle a cada uno de ellos un estilo propio acorde con la marca, además de ir un poco mas allá fomentando este deporte como un estilo de vida, no solo a nivel nacional sino internacionalmente ubicando nuestros puntos de venta a lo largo del continente.

La idea de nombrar esta marca Biologic nace de la constante necesidad que tiene nuestro planeta de cuidar el medio ambiente, la necesidad de buscar herramientas que nos ayuden al cuidado y protección del mismo, esto tenia que hacerse también desde nuestro campo de acción, aportando nuestro grano de arena a esta causa, y tomándonos la tarea de buscar materiales que no acaben de contaminar nuestro medio ambiente. En nuestro país esto se hace un poco complejo, ya que la implementación de nuevos materiales implica un costo bastante elevado, volviéndose un poco difícil el acceso a estos, por parte de las pequeñas empresas, esto ha sido un factor un poco preocupante y frustrante dentro del marco de nuestra pretensión empresarial ya que nuestros productos se fabrican con calidad pero también pensando en la accesibilidad a nuestros productos por parte de nuestros clientes.

Biologic skatebording, ha sido el esfuerzo no solo de una persona sino un trabajo en conjunto, en este proyecto han trabajado muchas personas entre ellos diseñadores gráficos como Kike Coronado , Monkey Art Grafics, skaters: Julio Cesar Torres (cubio), German Bedoya (pupilo), William Marín, Michael Rivera, Jhon Pardo quien ahora patina para uno de los skateshop mas importantes del país y yo Cristian Rodríguez diseñador y creador de la marca, todos nosotros con un mismo interés, promover este deporte e industria a nivel nacional e internacional.

build. from Nik Strong-Cvetich on Vimeo.

There is something still to be said for the underdogs who create true Do It Yourself projects, without the help of prefabricated design. With such a huge array of choices in the Unites States, it’s easy to overlook the options available to people in the rest of the world. This month, we at Mezclada.com have got skateboarding’s rise to greatness in Latin America on the display case and it's proliferating DIY projects are at the heart of what’s happening here.

DIY companies like Mercava and Aztlan Skatebaords in Mexico have surpassed the inauguration stage of “brand recognition”. For some time now, they have designing skateboards, selling their own clothing labels, and distributing the largest international brands of skate shoes, decks and accessories. Magazines are appearing all over the place, online and in print, and the pictures are taken by skaters whose passion and talents are in photography. In South America, there might be one or two skate brands fostering the local scene in each of the smaller countries, but Columbia, Brazil and Chile are making a big appearance in the world of international pro skateboarders.

One of the best ways to understand the considerable expansion of skateboarding is to check out a number of first-rate documentaries. This last month was the first ever Skateboard Film Festival in Seattle, Washington, created to promote and stir appreciation for skateboard film making on a global scale. Sixty different films were shown over one weekend and companies like Vans, Zero, and Ally sponsored skate events, parties, and prizes.

We interviewed Nik Strong-Cvetich, whose first documentary film, Build, was showcased at the Skateboard Film Festival in August. It is an exposé on the development of the skateboard scene in Uganda and Nicaragua of all places. Shot with borrowed equipment from his university library, he spanned two continents to film the first skateboard parks ever built in these countries.

Nik is a 28-year-old Seattle native, relocated to Santa Cruz, California. Like most kids born in the eighties, Nik got his first skateboard when he was 6, and he’s been seriously skating since he was 15. Growing up on the West Coast of the United States guarantees for most, a few basic rules about life. For one, if your parents are from California, Oregon or Washington you were most likely exposed to the principal theories behind vegetarian diets, the importance of conserving nature, the medical conditions alivianated by illicit herbal substances, and a pretty good dose of civil activitism.

The second rule is naturally the importance of playing outside. This is where skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, and a whole slue of different activities come in. Being that skateboarding was created and nurtured in Southern California, it can be confidently said that almost every kid in those three states at least knew what a skateboard looked like in those days.

It has only been about 25 years since skateboarding migrated away from the West Coast. Yet today, skateboarding is reaching a level of worldwide popularity, inhibited only by the scarcity of modern design. There are random films from all parts of the world that show a glimpse of kids rolling around on a piece of wood mounted on roller-skate bearings or mini wheelbarrow tires. Europe has really just caught onto the scene but even fifteen years ago when industry crafted skateboards first arrived, people were doing tricks on anything they could find, including the metro stairs in Berlin and London.

In the nineties, skateboard videos started disseminating the idea of professional riders. In Mexico and much of Latin America, the scene was prevalent even before most of the Powell Peralta videos came out. Skateboarding, in all its altruistic glory, has created a global phenomenon, permeating urban and rural culture, promoting active kids, and bringing different cultures and peoples together.

Nik narrates the film as a travel log, describing the projects he visited and the people he met behind them. He does a lot of skateboard filming with kids doing tricks and of the parks themselves, but the camera shots with the most impact are of the communities where they come from. In Uganda he films dilapidated brick houses and young men in military uniforms carrying guns. One skateboarding advocate tells the camera the park keeps the kids’ minds off poverty and war.

In Nicaragua, colorful school buses, crowded intersections and people selling fruit on the side of road create a backdrop for a skatepark built in a donated school yard in the capital city of Managua. The Nicaragua scene is heavily influenced by native pro-skater Chico Brenes, who travels between Managua where his family lives, and San Francisco, California where he’s set up shop. He is currently sponsored by Chocolate Skateboards, DVS, and LRG Clothing. Although even with a pro behind the kids who made this park, an inept government, clashes between skate crews and no funds make the project much harder to complete.

Behind the culturally packed action visuals, there is a clear story about the positive change the new skateboard culture has created. Before gaining the confidence of his film’s subjects, he had to spend a lot of time hanging out and establishing a rapport by skating with them. Once people got used to the camera, and Nik, as a genuine skater who was interested in what they were doing, everyone started telling their story. In true DIY style, Nik shows in his film Build, how these disadvantaged kids took it upon themselves to create a sense of community ownership over their future by escaping the reality of being poor and most of all, of being bored.

“I had always wanted to make a documentary and when I heard about the Uganda project and happened to be in the country, I met up with Jack and started filming and interviewing people about what the park meant to them. I was hesitant to do a full story on how each part of the park came together, because Brian Lye (one of the main people responsible for the park’s construction) is a filmmaker and is planning on making a detailed film of the whole construction experience.

I decided the concept I was exploring was a more universal one, and I would try to find other similar projects where other communities took it upon themselves to build these places. That’s how I settled on Nicaragua. Then Dax Castellon Meyrat was nice enough to sheppard me around Managua. There weren’t a lot of people that helped me on production, but in terms of making it happen, Jack, Brian, and Dax were instrumental in getting me set up with everything I needed.”

Some of the other DIY skateparks Nik was looking into for this project included the Marginal Way skatepark in Seattle, WA and Oliver Percovich’s project Skateistan in Afghanistan. When asked about the sponsorship situation in those countries where the scene is just beginning, he said that in Africa only a donor relationship exists for the equipment and everyone shares the skateboards because “they are prohibitively expensive for most folks.”

He also mentioned one our favorite film makers, Ernesto. “I really liked Ernesto Rosa’s film “Skateborder” and have talked with him in great detail about skating in DF and other places in Mexico and the immigration issues between our countries. I also like the French film about Soy Padang—sort of a spoof ‘day in the life’.”

One of his favorite documentaries not related to skateboarding? Heavy Metal in Baghdad. “I honesty think it is the best view of what the war is really about for ordinary Iraqis. Well maybe they weren’t ordinary, being metal dudes from Iraq, but it gives us a view of the full implications of the war.”

Nik is planning on a investigative search through Cuba for his next film. It’s going to be about a guy named Roberto who is the only surfer in a tiny town somewhere along the coastline of that huge island. We wish him lots of luck and can’t wait to hear the soundtrack.

You can find out more information about the Uganda skate park at http://www.ugandaskateboardunion.org and skateboarding in Nicaragua at http://www.skatenica.com/
MI.

The La Roma neighborhood in Mexico D.F. has some of the most chic and eclectic restaurants and galleries in the city. Hidden in tiny alcoves and basements of hundred year old houses, culturally sophisticated young people converse over cocktails while discussing which enigmatic art collective has a the new expo.

This month, the boutique restaurant and gallery La Levadura is hosting FOTOSEPTIEMBRE, a photographic project sponsored by Centro de la Imagen. CI is an off-shoot of the National Center for the Arts and the largest government sponsored venture in the Americas dedicated to the investigation and proliferation of photography.

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

Oliver Santana, David Reyes, Alison Sam, Christian Albrecht, Luis A. Marin, Juliette Schmitz, Antonio Nava, David Bishop Noriega, and Oswaldo Ramirez

The Levadura Gallery is located on Tonola 23 in the colonia La Roma, between Avenida Insurgentes and Durango. Take the Metrobus to the Durango stop and walk east into La Roma. Turn left on the first street, past the hostel. Levadura is open from 12pm till 12 midnight and serves gourmet Mediterranean and Mexican fusion cuisine. The bar offers top-notch drink specialties and excellent pizzas.

Written by Elisa Iturbe
Photos courtesy of Vitrina

From a distance, the Torre Latinoamericana stands tall and silent, a quiet symbol of time and its passing. But below, the streets of Mexico City are teeming, not just with scurrying people, but with plant life as well. Artist Jerónimo Hagerman has filled the plaza alongside this famous skyscraper with a Radial Garden: old tires and round rubber receptacles contain trees, ponds, and grass, creating a playful oasis for city dwellers braving the endless stone and concrete of the city center.


For Hagerman, this garden is an art installation that speaks of the relationship between contemporary art, the city, and the citizen. But implicit in the presence of lush vegetation in the barren shadow of an immovable steel skyscraper is a conversation about nature and its place in the city. Packaged in tight rubber containers, the plants’ roots are entirely disconnected from the ground: the man-made container touches the man-made ground while the natural elements, unintegrated, remain as a series of objects placed lightly in the urban landscape, ready to be picked up and whisked away at man’s behest. In fact, the garden is destined for several locations around the historic center. As the plants are placed and displaced in different public spaces, their goal is not to provide relief from the gray artificiality of the man-made – this is not an urban greening project. In other words, the vegetation is not meant as a natural refuge, but as a catalyst for conversation. The plants are objects placed artfully in the city as a tool for social experimentation and collective conversation. The whimsical roundness of the containers makes the dialogue playful and the space delightful, but below the pleasantries, Hagerman reframes nature’s place in the city, using it as a tool instead of a refuge and offering the city dweller a chance to see nature in a different light.

El skateboarding está creciendo en México. La gente está creando sus propias empresas y distribuyendo productos de calidad bajo su propia marca, todo desde las tablas hasta los zapatos. Entrevistamos a Pepe Baeza y Oscar Palacios, de la empresa Mercava Skateboards en Mazatlán y nos dieron algunas respuestas bastante profundas acerca de lo que sienten por ser parte de la escena.
Skateboarding is coming up in Mexico. People are creating their own companies and distributing quality brand name products, everything from decks to skateshoes. We interviewed Pepe Baeza and Oscar Palacios from the company Mercava Skateboards in Mazatlan. They gave us some pretty deep answers as how they feel about being a part of the scene.

¿De dónde es originaria Mercava y cuanto tiempo tiene?
La idea de Mercava Skateboards nace en agosto del 2005 en la ciudad de Los Angeles California. En ese tiempo nuestro mejor amigo Miguel Angel Sanchez Garate “Niño Rata” (1977-2009) trabajaba en ABC boards supply empresa dedicada a la manufactura de tablas mejor conocida como ACME. Fue ahí donde el tiene la idea y el recurso económico necesario, para en conjunto sacar una pequeña primera serie con la finalidad de venderlas en México y conformar así en la ciudad de Mazatlán junto a sus dos amigos Pepe Baeza y Oscar Palacios, una de las primeras compañías de skate 100% mexicanas.
Where is Mercava from and how long has it been around?
The idea for Mercava Skateboards came about in August of 2005 in the city of Los Angeles, California. During that time our friend, Miguel Angel Sanchez Garate “Rat Boy” (1977-2009) was working with the skate deck manufacturer ABC skateboards, better known as ACME. It was then that he came up with the idea and having the money to make a small series happen he started to sell them in Mexico. Coming back to Mazatlan, and together with his two friends, Pepe Baeza and Oscar Palacios, Mercava became one of the first 100% Mexican skate companies.
¿Por que eligieron el nombre de Mercava y que significa?
El nombre o la palabra Mercava fue idea de Niño y proviene del hebreo, esta aparece mucho en libros de misticismo judío y espiritualidad, lecturas que el acostumbraba leer. La palabra en si es sagrada y tiene un significado muy profundo, la encuentras escrita de muchas formas pero una de las formas correctas es MerKaBa y se desglosa en tres partes, cada una con su significado: Mer (vehiculo de luz); Ka (espíritu); Ba (cuerpo).de ahí vino el adoptar nuestra propia forma “Mercava” pensando siempre en ella como una analogía aterrizada al skate. Si MerKaBa es un vehiculo de luz, es un transporte, entonces nuestro Mercava es nuestro skate, que mejor forma de describirlo…
Where did the name Mercava come from and what does it mean?
The name and the word Mercava was Niño´s idea and it comes from the Hebrew language where it appears in many texts about Jewish mysticism and spirituality. They were writings that he had become accustomed to reading. The word is sacred with a very deep meaning and is found in many forms, but the correct form is MerKaBa. It is separated into three different parts, each one with it´s own significance. Mer (vehicle of light); Ka (spirit); Ba (body). It was from this meaning that we have adopted our philosophy of Mercava, believing always that it is a grounded analogy that represents skating. Yes, MerKaBa is a vehicle of light, it is transportation, and therefore our Mercava is our skate. That’s the best way to describe it…

Háblanos un poco de Rat Boy y del hecho de que ya no este físicamente con ustedes.
Que te podemos decir, Sin duda una gran pérdida por donde se le quiera ver, no nada mas para nosotros si no que con algo de asombro nos pudimos dar cuenta que lo fue para mucha gente. Miguel mejor conocido como el “Rat Boy” para los que no lo conocen, fue uno de los mejores skaters que México ha tenido, una persona que se distinguía por su sencillez y calidad humana, precursor del skate en nuestro país y sin duda alguna una gran influencia para muchos de nosotros.
Tell us about “Rat Boy” and why he isn´t with us any more.
What can we say? Without a doubt it was a great loss for everyone, not just for us. It was like a shadow that made us realize it was a loss for many people. Miguel better known as “Rat Boy” for those didn´t know him, was one of the best skaters Mexico ever had. He was a person who was known for his simplicity and human nature. He was one of the founders of skating in our country and without a doubt he was an enormous influence for many of us.
¿Quiénes conforman Mercava y cambió esto algo en Mercava?
Somos Pepe Baeza Guereña de 32 años y Oscar Palacios Gómez de 30 años. En esencia no. Después de su regreso de los Estados Unidos en el 2007, entramos en etapa de ver que es lo que queríamos hacer de Mercava, por lo que nos alegra mucho haber convivido tanto con el en estos últimos años. La visión de Mercava que tenia, todos sus planes, pláticas, sesiones de skate, viajes, noches de fiesta y hasta las diferencias que compartimos, se quedan muy con nosotros. Es un gran compromiso y nuestro trabajo ahora, hacer que todos esos planes y platicas se lleven acabo, tal y como a el le hubiera gustado que fuera.
Who runs Mercava now and did Miguel´s passing change anything?
Mercava is Pepe Baeza Guereña, 32, and Oscar Palacios Gómez, 30, both from Mazatlan, Mexico. In essence, no. After he returned to the states in 2007, we came into the moment when we had to decide what we wanted to do with Mercava. We are very happy to have been able to cooperate so much over these past years. The vision for Mercava, all of the plans, the discussions, skate sessions, trips, parties, and even the differences we have had have created a bond between us. It has been an enormous commitment and our work now is to make sure all of those plans and considerations become realities. Everything in the way that Miguel would have wanted it to be.
¿Háblenos de el proyecto The Mercava Store?
Bueno, The Mercava Store es un proyecto hermano a Mercava Skateboards y este abre sus puertas en diciembre del 2007 en el centro comercial La Gran Plaza en Mazatlán, Sinaloa. Como pudiera sonar, no vendemos nada mas productos Mercava “te imaginas” si no contamos con un portafolio y un top de marcas en el cual estamos trabajando constantemente. Para nuestros clientes y proveedores, creamos todo un concepto de tienda como plataforma, que hasta la fecha sigue en constante renovación. Todos nuestros productos están relacionados con la cultura del skate, el arte y la moda urbana. Y contamos con marcas tanto nacionales como importadas: Volcom, Electric, Ambiguous, Niké, Vans, Dvs, Mercava, Deza y Casta entre algunas otras.
Can you tell us about the Mercava Store?
The Mercava store is a side project of Mercava Skateboards and opened its doors in December of 2007 in the commercial plaza, The Great Plaza, in Mazatlan, Sinaloa. We don´t just sell Mercava products, we have a large selection of most of the top brands in the industry from which we are adding to constantly. For our clients and distributors we try to maintain the concept of a platform shop that´s constantly renewing it´s self. All of our products are related to skate culture, art, and urban style. We sell national and international brands including: Volcom, Electric, Ambiguous, Nike, Vans, DVS, Mercava, Deza and Casta Footwear among others.
¿Y Mercava Skateboards cuenta con un equipo?
Si de Skate, actualmente son 5 personas de distintos puntos de la republica: Axl Alcantar, Eduardo Cárdenas “El Cobre”, JC Cano, Luís Kohen “Panchito” y Arturo Sánchez
Does Mercava have a skate team?
Yes, there are five skaters from different parts of the country: Axl Alcantar, Eduardo Cárdenas “El Cobre”, JC Cano, Lis Kohen “Panchito” and Arturo Sanchez.
¿Cómo empezaron a incluir a los artistas y sus trabajos dentro de la compañía?
El skate y el arte siempre han estado relacionados, pero en nuestro caso esta relación se fue dando de manera muy natural, gracias a la colaboración de artistas y amigos cercanos como Teddy Kelly, Tomas Guereña, Blair Urban y Alex Rodríguez, quienes desde los inicios de Mercava creyeron en el proyecto y aceptaron participar. Aportando mucho de lo que ahora estamos presentando.
How was it that you started to include artists and their work into Mercava?
Skating and art have always been related, but in our case it was a relationship that happened very naturally thanks to the collaboration of artists and close friends such as Teddy Kelly, Tomas Guereña, Blair Urban and Alex Rodriquez. They have been with us since the beginning stages of Mercava; they believed in the project and they wanted to participate. They have contributed a lot to what we are working with now.
¿Piensan seguir incorporando más arte en los diseños de Mercava?
Si desde luego, hay planes ya comenzados para trabajar una serie de artistas “Mercava Art Series” en la que anticipamos vendrá como extra un promodel conmemorativo del “Niño Rata” a cargo de Teddy Kelly y que va a estar muy bueno. Pronto mas noticias al respecto, en nuestro sitio de Internet.
Do you think you´ll continue incorporating different designs into Mercava?
Yes of course. There are already plans to begin working with artists under the “Mercava Art Series”. We look forward to selling, as a bonus, a promodel commemorative for “Rat Boy” by artist Teddy Kelly and its going to be nice. More news about that soon on our webpage…
¿Qué papel jugara a futuro un serie de arte dentro de la compañía?
La esencia de Mercava es el skate pero en cuanto al rol del arte dentro de la compañía, como mencionábamos antes, las cosas se han venido dando de forma muy natural y preferimos que sigan así, hay libertad de hacer muchas cosas; de incluir o no incluir; eso es lo interesante y lo que más disfrutamos. Seguro que nos gustaría a futuro tener una dirección de arte bien establecida; hacer colaboraciones con ciertas personas, pero por ahora son solo planes, ya el tiempo lo dirá.
What role will an art series have within the company?
The essence of Mercava is skateboarding but regardless art within the company, as we mentioned before, has been coming together very naturally and we prefer it to happen this way. There is a lot of freedom to do things, to include or not include. This is what makes it interesting and what we enjoy most, collaborating with certain people. Right now these are just plans, only time will tell.

Pueden encontrar más información de Pepe, Oscar y Mercava Skateboards en su nueva pagina de internet.
You can find more on Pepe and Oscar and Mercava Skateboards through their brand new website, www.mercavaskateboards.com or email them at info@mercavaskateboards.com.

Pepe Baeza y Oscar Palacios de la marca MERCAVA:El Art Show se decidió hacer debido a algún material que teníamos guardado por ahí y que queríamos mostrar, no queríamos hacer algo muy organizado si no mas bien mostrarlo por ahí sin previo aviso, el pedir permisos y eso nos llevo a platicarlo con algunos amigos y de ahí salio la idea de invitar mas gente. Así que nos pusimos en contacto con amigos de otras ciudades para ver si querían apoyar participando en el cotorreo local, y así fue. La oferta de arte pues es variada, las diferentes técnicas y estilos promete algo muy interesante, los invitados pertenecen a distintas ciudades y colaboran con distintas marcas, tanto en México como en el extranjero. Así que por el criterio de selección no fue difícil, todos son muy buenos artistas y la mayoría buenos amigos, pero lo más importante para nosotros es que les gusta lo que hacen.

¡Búscate la mochila y nos vemos en Mazatlan!
El evento será en Modula Bar en el centro histórico este jueves 17 de septiembre 2009 a las 8:00 pm. En la bella ciudad de Mazatlán, Sinaloa. Se eligió este lugar gracias a las facilidades del dueño, que es amigo de nosotros y uno de los artistas invitados. La música estará a cargo de nuestro invitado Nitoka de Puro Gallo (DF), y les avisamos que la mayoría del arte estará a la venta así que hechen el ojo…
Gracias a: Canvas, The Mercava Store, Chakota, Praga Urban, Urbeskate, Puro Gallo y Modular Bar.
Los siguientes artistas estarán participando en el evento:
Tomas Guereña
Carlos Zeta
Ivan Mayorquín
Choper Nawers
David Crespo
Ricardo Palacios
Ster Aguirre
Arody
Gochy
Mr. White Fresh Co
Pilar cardenas
Balir Urban
Jorge San Martín
Rock
Tom Contreras

We interviewed Guadalajara based skateboard photographer, Miguel Angel Lopez, to find out why he helped start Urbeskate Magazine, how he feels about the Mexican drug war and ultimately, about taking dope pictures.
(English version below...)

Entrevistamos al fotógrafo Miguel Angel López de Guadalajara para averiguar por qué le ayudó a iniciar la revista Urbeskate, cómo se siente acerca del narcotráfico en México y por último, sobre la toma de fotografías.

M.I: ¿Dónde naciste y actualmente donde vives?
M.A.L: Guadalajara y vivo actualmente en GDL (Guadalajara)
¿Cuántos años tienes?
28
¿Cuánto tiempo llevas como fotógrafo y como empezaste a tomas fotos?
Como 6 años, comencé a tomar fotos por el skateboard. Quería tomar a la gente que patinaba y pues aquí estoy tomando fotos de más cosas.
¿Por qué empezaste a tomar fotos de skateboarders?
Para comenzar a llenar una página local que tenia y por gusto al skateboard.
¿Cómo empezaste a trabajar con Urbeskate?
Era primero un proyecto de revista que iba a salir hace como 6 años y por ciertas razones no comenzó así. A Joel Benitez, mi socio, le comenté llevarlo a la internet y aquí estamos haciéndola via web y pues también salió un tiempo impresa. Como verás no solo soy fotógrafo de Urbe.

¿Cuál es tu experiencia más memorable que has tenido como fotógrafo?
Valla, creo que estar haciendo lo que me gusta y tratar de vivir de lo que me gusta. Pero hay muchas mas conocer gente, viajar y conocer lugares.
¿Para ti, cual es el mejor skatepark en Mexico?
Uu, hay varios la verdad por que todos son diferentes pero me gusta el nuevo del Distrito Federal que está debajo de un puente. Aquí en Guadalajara los bowls... me gusta la energía que se patina en esos lugares y los de Chihuahua pero nphotoo los conozco aun.


¿Has conocido otros skateparks en Latinoamérica?
No he viajado aun al extranjero.
¿Qué te prende mas, albercas ó minirampas?
Albercas de concreto duro, ahí hace a los patinadores con carácter.
¿Cuál ha sido el mejor concurso de skateboard en Mexico?
Jangua Irekua, y sobre todo por qué en uno de ellos me hizo darme cuenta de que tan feliz me sentía estar haciendo lo que aun sigo haciendo.
¿Cuál crees que es el mejor video de skate este año?
Aun no te puedo decir esa respuesta por qué vienen varios videos que van estar increíbles.
¿Qué piensas de la situación de patrocinio en Latinoamérica?
Pues como su economía, jaja, pobre y sin apoyos. Pero aquí aprovecho para decirle a la gente que es momento de creer en todo lo que se hace aquí en Latinoamérica, hacer nuestro propio movimiento y me refiero en todos los aspectos abajo el conformismo. Que nuestras monedas latinas valgan como una del primer mundo y para eso solo haciendo todo por nosotros, ya basta de depender.
¿Qué piensas acerca del futuro de skateboard femenino en Mexico?
Creciendo pero muy lento.
¿Qué nuevo patinador estas buscando para fotografiar en los siguientes meses?
Ni idea, no tengo así como una línea de quien sigue pero me gustaría tomarle fotos a Polo May en el D.F. o a Michael Scott en algún “spot” del sur o a Maima Morales allá por Oaxaca.
¿Cuántos pares de tenis tienes y todos son para patinar?
Sí todos son para patinar y son 7
¿Si viajarás a alguna ciudad del mundo, grande ó chica para documentar el movimiento de skate, cuál sería?
Egipto.

¿Las 5 álbumes que más te prende en tu Ipod?
No tengo IPOD. No cargo con cosas en mi, soy muy sencillo no reloj no ipod... ufff con mi cámara soy feliz y si no, pues observar.
¿Haz hecho alguna vez algo ilegal?...dinos que fue
jaaaa rayoss jajaja... pues no se si fue ilegal pero me metieron a los separos por tomarles fotos a alguien que patinaba en un lugar que no se podía.
¿Identifiques tú con alguna cultura nativa de México? ¿Tú crees en la teoría que el fin de mundo es el 12 de diciembre del 2010 como lo predijeron los Mayas?
Si, los mayas puede ser pero el fin del mundo nos llega a todos a su tiempo. Si los mayas dicen que se va acabar y pasa, pues que pase.
¿Te atemoriza el narcotráfico en México? ¿Crees que es necesario involucrar el ejército?
Mejor temerle al ejercito, jaja, ya ni sabes en quien confiar.
¿Pagarías para tomar clases de skate en el Black Pearl, en las Islas Caiman? www.blackpearly.ky ¿Pagarías el permiso para tomar fotos?
ha... no creo, jaja
¿Qué nueva marca de skate de Latinoamérica es tu favorita?
No tengo una preferida por qué de cada una, hay algo que me gusta. No tengo una preferencia pero así que me gustan lo que andan haciendo las nacionales como Tricolor, Casta Footwear, en el sur no es marca pero es revista Blast, los de Ojo de Pez en Argentina (video de skate), y me gusta todo lo que hacen en Brasil con las marcas que han hecho... que su industria crezca.
¿Cuál es uno de los mejores fotógrafos de skateboard para ti?
J. Grant Brittain
¿Nos puedes platicar un poco de tu siguiente proyecto?
ooo es secreto de estado, jaja, no pues mira son tantas cosas. Trabajo de lleno en Urbeskate y pues ahí hay muchas cosas que estamos haciendo pero el siguiente la revista No. 16 en línea ya la estamos armando.
¿Tortas ahogadas ó tamales oaxaqueños?
Como aun no pruebo los tamales Oaxaqueños me quedo ahorita con las Tortas Ahogadas.


You can find more of Miguel´s photographs at DeviantArt and at Urbeskate Magazine

The English version...
M.I: Where were you born and where do you live now?
M.A.L: Guadalajara and I live there now.
How old are you?
28
How long have you been taking pictures?
About 6 years, I started taking photos of skateboarding. I wanted to capture people skating, and here I am taking pictures of other things as well.
Why did you start taking pictures of skateboarders?
It was in order to build content for a local magazine and because I like skateboarding.
Can you tell us how you got started with Urbeskate?
At first it was a magazine project that was supposed to come out about 6 years ago but for various reasons, it didn´t. I made a comment to Joel Benitez, my associate, that he should put it online and here we are, doing it via web, although at one time it was in printed version. But as you can see, I am not just a photographer for Urbe.
What has been your most memorable experience as a photographer?
There you go, I think it is about doing what I like to do, trying to live the way I want to. But it is also about meeting people, traveling, and seeing new places.
In your opinion, where is the best skatepark in Mexico?
Umm... there are several, really, because they are all different but I like the new park in D.F. (Mexico City) that´s under a bridge. Here in Guadalajara it´d have to be the bowls. I like the skate vibe in those places. I would also say parks in Chihuahua although I haven´t been to them.
Have you been to any other skateparks in Latin America?
No, I haven´t been outside the country.
What gets you more stoked, pools or mini-ramps?
Pool s with hard concrete, that´s where the style is.
What has been the best skateboard contest in Mexico?
Jangua Irekua, and more than anything because during one of those, I realized that I was totally happy doing what I was doing, what I´m still doing.
What do you think is the best skate video of the year?
I can´t answer that because there are still several videos coming out that are going to be incredible.
What do you think about the sponsorship situation in Mexico?
Well, like it´s economy, haha, poor and without support. But I will take advantage here to tell people that now is the moment to develop everything we do in Latin America, make our own movement and I am referring to all aspects under conformism. We must make our national money worth something, like in the developed world, and in order to do this we have to do it ourselves, enough already with dependence.
What do you think about the future of female skateboarding in Mexico?
It is growing, but slowly.
What new skateboarder are you looking forward to shooting in the next few months?
No idea, I don´t have a lineup of who is next but I would like to take photos of Polo May in D.F. or of Michael Scott somewhere in the south, or of Maima Morales in Oaxaca.
How pairs of shoes do you have and are they all skate shoes?
Yes and I have 7.
If you could travel to any city in the world, large or small, to document the skate scene where would it be?
Egypt.
What are the five albums you have playing most in your Ipod?
I don´t have an Ipod. I don´t carry things with me, I am pretty simple, no watch, no Ipod… just my camera and I´m happy, and if not I just watch.
Have you done anything illegal? ....can you explain?
haaaaa, funny.... well I don´t know if it was illegal but they put me in a holding cell for taking photos of someone skating where they shouldn´t be.
Do you identify with one of the ancient cultures of Mexico? Do you believe that the world will end on December 12, 2010 as the Mayans predicted?
Yes, could be with the Mayas, but the end of the world will hit all of us at its own time. If the Mayans said it will end, and it happens, then let it happen.
Are you afraid of the Mexican drug war? Do you think it´s necessary to involve the military?
It´s better to be afraid of the military, haha, you can´t trust anybody.
¿Would you pay to go to skateboard camp at the Black Pearl in the Caymen Islands? www.blackpearly.ky Would you pay for a permit to take photos there?
ha... I don´t think so, haha
What Latin American skate brand is your favorite?
I don´t have a preference for anyone in particular, because there is something from each one that I like. I really like what the national brands are doing, such as Tricolor and Casta Foorwear. In the south there is a magazine called Blast, in Argentina there is a video called Ojo de Pez, and I like everything they are doing in Brasil with their own brands… let the industry rise up.
Who is one of your favorite skateboard photographers?
J. Grant Brittain
¿Can you tell us about your next project?
Ooo, it’s top secret… no but really I have a lot of things going on. I am still working with Urbeskate and there is a lot going on there, and issue No. 16 comes out online soon.
Tortas ahogadas or tamales oaxaqueños?
Since I have never tried tamales oaxaqueños, I´ll go with tortas ahogadas.

Erick Valencia and Miguel Angel are portrait photographers in Mexico City and the co-founders of the hip modeling group Pennyroyal Studios. Created in 2008 as a joint artistic venture, they have since parted ways and are currently working on individual projects. But their collaborative effort has left us with some attractive remnants of Mexico´s seductively coy urban youth.
(See more photos...)
Miguel Ángel y Erick Valencia son retratistas de la Ciudad de México y co-fundadores del grupo Pennyroyal Studios. Creado en el 2008 como una unión artística, ya no siguen trabajando juntos pero su futuro lleva un amplio y abierto camino donde dedicarán a proyectos individuales. Su conjunto esfuerzo nos ha dejado remanentes de la seductiva juventud urbana de México. (ver más fotos...)

Pao Velazquez is the inspiration behind Pola designs, a chic textile artistry brand from Mexico City. Individually designed, these beautiful couture coin purses are sewn by hand with delicate bead trains and feminine silkscreen patterns. Each bag is one of a kind and often come in matching pairs of differing sizes.
Pao Velázquez es la inspiración que esta detrás de los diseños Pola, una marca muy chic de ropa proveniente de la Ciudad de México. Diseñados de manera individual, estos hermosísimos bolsos de mano son confeccionados con monedas y cocidos a mano con delicados hilos y patrones. Cada bolso es único y casi siempre vienen en pares que combinan y son de diferente tamaño.

Pao is currently working on new designs for cell phones and Ipods that will be available is our online store (coming soon!...)
Actualmente, Pao está trabajando en nuevos diseños para teléfonos celulares y Ipods que serán ofrecidos al público en nuestra tienda virtual. (¡Próximamente!...)

The era of global technology seems to have surpassed cultural organization by about twenty million one-long-runs in the past decade. And in the race of human existence that’s faster than most people can come to terms with. Yet, it is still too soon to consider when Twitter updates and Myspace friend groups will actually replace traditional human interaction entirely, including our ability to be naturally creative. The current combination however, between real-life and computerized innovation has become the recent topic of academic metadisciplinary circles. In order to grasp an understanding of our natural ability to sustain complex creativity while creating a higher self-dependency on technology, they have begun to ask:
Is it actually possible to test the biological composition of creativity?

“Traditionally, scientists have been trained to be reductionists — reducing complex data and phenomena to simple terms. But that approach has reached its limits,” - James Gimzewski, UCLA chemistry professor and nanoscientist. Apparently, UCLA scientists, psychiatrists and psychologists have been focusing their free summer sessions on testing the molecular structure of cognitive brain mechanisms. They are investigating the relationships of our mirror neurons, or “smart cells”, which allow us to automatically imitate others. This may be the key factor in figuring out if mimicking someone else actually increases our own ability to be creative.

Where do "smart cells" tie in with the Internet? As we continue to browse, upload our artwork, follow engaging links, and begin to format our own creative expressions of the world through personalized templates, we are registering never before seen synaptic fusions, literally evolving our creative and natural selves.

This is the mind-blowing documentary of three young people, all born in the year 1973 in the barrios of Mexico City. They are the children of 1960´s iconoclasts whose optimism for a brighter future in dictatorial Latin America was plagued by corruption, abuse of power, and blanketed in civil revolution. Their individual battles between love and rage lead to drug abuse, gangs, estranged family members and homicide, marking a generation imprisoned by their own defeat; eventually abandoned by society.
Este documental acerca de la vida de tres jóvenes nacidos en el año de 1973 y que viven en los barrios de la Ciudad de México, hará volar la mente del espectador. Trata de la vida de unos niños de los que vivían en los años 60´s y a los cuales su sueño de buscar un mejor futuro en la dictadura latinoamericana se ve manchado por la corrupción, abuso de poder y por la revolución civil. La batalla individual de estos jóvenes entre el amor y el enojo los lleva al abuso de drogas, pandillas, conflictos familiares y homicidio marcando de esta manera a una generación encarcelada por su propia derrota y al abandono por parte de la sociedad.

Either locked up in the notorious Reclusorio Norte or paralyzed from a Meth trip gone bad, each of them describes their lives on the inside and the years leading up to the one day everything went horribly wrong. The producers did us the awesome favor of putting it up on YouTube with English subtitles, but we still suggest watching it in Spanish with your homie from D.F. because you definitely didn´t learn this stuff in your 10th grade Spanish class.
Ya sea desde el Reclusorio Norte o paralizado debido al uso de metanfetaminas, cada uno de estos jóvenes narra su vida desde sus inicios hasta el día en que todo salió mal. Los productores hicieron un enorme favor al público al poner este excelente documental en YouTube y subtitularlo en inglés. Sin embargo, nosotros sugerimos verlo en Español con algún amigo Chilango ya que definitivamente lo que se muestra en este documental no es nada que se aprenda ni se enseñe en las clases de español del decimo grado.

“Mi trabajo comienza cuando termina la vida de los demás”

Soy el hijo de mi madre
Soy el hijo del viento
soy el hijo abandonado
el hijo que mandaste a dormir hasta el fin de la eternidad

a el que callaste para siempre sin degarlo hablar
al que ni trabago te dio darle un nombre
quisas el acabose de mi vida te costo poco
pero a mi mama la termino por dentro
como el mas potente cancer sin remedio
lo callaron con voces vagas y corazones pesados en mis angelicales suenos te imagino empapado en la sangre de mi querpo desfigurado
te imagino detro de esa cueva
el cuerpo de mi madre
nosotros guntos sintiendo el mismo dolor
la misma asficsion y en eterna desepcion
aun vivo contento en la vida que nunca me diste admirando la fortalesa de la jefe
y la majia del destino
hoy vivo una vida differente
differente a la del ayer
voelo entre los pajarrillos
el viento me pasea sobre mares y desiertos
las flores y las plantas mis perfumenes
el mundo no fue para mi y tu tanpoco fuiste mi padre
si no el viento el me accuruca en sus brasos
en ellos olvido disdicha
y sueno para siempre

Deep within the enormity of Mexico City, the newest generation of urban crusaders is coming of age while precariously ducking unyielding ropes and metal poles that sustain sagging plastic tarps, scalding from the afternoon sun. They carry oversized paper cups encrusted with chili pepper that spill beer over the sides as they dodge running children and tricycle carts selling ice cream. Returning from the far ends of countless vender stands they cast ritual handshakes at thirty-somethings lounging back on tiny dilapidated folding chairs towards the backs of the stalls. Then taking their designated places on piled up backpacks and skateboards lining the small alcove, they pass the cups around and conversational laughter overwhelms the noise of the pirated disk vendor down the walkway.
En lo profundo de la Ciudad de México, una nueva generación de exploradores llega a su mayoría de edad mientras corren abajo precarias estructuras de cuerdas y tubos de metal sostienen lonas para cubrir el caluroso sol de la tarde. Cargando desproporcionales vasos de unicel cubiertos en las orillas por chile piquín y que a su vez derraman cerveza por los lados esquivan a los niños que corren en las calles, diablitos de carga y carritos de helado. Desde el puesto más lejano se puede observar a los marchantes dándose el casual saludo de mano y agrupaciones de hombres sentados en las sillas desplegables atrás de los puestos. Después toman sus lugares a lado de su correspondiente lona y tubos, en los pasillos se observan los diablitos que transitan de un lado a otro, se van pasando vasos, las conversaciones y las risas son más fuertes que la música del puesto pirata que se encuentra al final del pasillo.

From this southeast corner of the Distrito Federal, David Reyes constructs an imposing urban interpretation of life under the rooftops of the tianguis. His dramatic black and white images of the city´s marketplaces are metrical in their composition and adhere firmly to reality. They emphasize the convergence of a community united by an endless assortment of consumer items, new and old, real and fake, from which they are sell and trade amongst themselves and to the wandering public. Each one bound to the unwritten laws of the marketplace that tie venders to their sections, suppliers to their clients, and borrowers to their debts. To the unaided eye, the artificial structures are like a removable reef, presumably informal and an obstacle in the middle of the road. Yet, they uphold an ancient institution going back to before the Aztecs entered Mexica, and who’s same traveling bazaars once constructed and torn down daily, continue to travel about the countless neighborhoods under the same tents as the day before.
Desde el este del Distrito Federal, David Reyes ha construido una interpretación de la vida debajo de las lonas de un tianguis. Sus dramáticas imágenes en blanco y negro de los también conocidos como mercados sobre ruedas son métricas y plasman la realidad que se vive en estos. Se hace énfasis en la convivencia que existe entre la comunidad unida por el surtido de innumerables productos, nuevos, viejos, piratas, auténticos, que son vendidos e intercambiados y a su vez ofrecidos al público. Guiados por las reglas implícitas del mercado y que a su vez une a estos comerciantes a sus puestos, a los proveedores con los clientes y a los deudores con las deudas. Para el ojo no entrenado, los tianguis son un acomodo de tubos y lonas removibles, sumamente informales y un obstáculo a media calle. Sin embargo, estos tianguis, son una antigua institución ya que datan a tiempos anteriores a la entrada de los aztecas a la gran Mexica. Día con día, estos mercados desmontables continúan viajando de vecindario en vecindario y trabajando bajo las mismas lonas de igual manera en la que lo hicieron el día anterior.