Tuesday, May 5, 1998
Painting the walls of Wallstreet
ART: If the Anderson School seemed like
an exception to the artsy vibe of North Campus, artist Mazatl
Galindo’s painting
adds a little bit of heart to Espresso Roma
By Laura Noguera
Daily Bruin Contributor
The cafe in the heart of the Anderson School of Management is
currently proving itself artistically correct. Among the coffee
drinkers of the investment world lies "Heart of the Sky." Students
inside now have a choice: studying economics or studying the
painting on the wall.
"Heart of the Sky" by Mazatl Galindo is Espresso Roma Cafe’s
first featured artwork. The painting dominates an entire wall
within the cafe, adding a lively essence to the stock exchange
decor.
"We have the heart of the stock market where there’s dealing,
and on the other hand, we have this painting I call the ‘Heart of
the Sky,’" says Galindo. "I think it’s a very interesting
dichotomy."
"Heart of the Sky" is the first piece that the artist has
displayed in a cafe or restaurant. Galindo has rejected many
invitations and prefers to exhibit in museums worldwide such as the
Kumho Central Center in South Korea and Centro Cultural Kosqo in
Cuzco, Peru.
Created especially for the cafe, Galindo’s expression in "Heart
of the Sky" is unlike that in his other works. The colors are
brilliant and the image seems to move as the light reflects the
slight grooves within the paint.
"This particular painting is opening up a whole new style for
me, which has to do with texture and color more than forms or
shapes," Galindo says. "It represents a cosmic explosion where new
stars are born."
Espresso Roma and its customers welcome the new style and the
impressive star on the wall. Prior to Galindo’s "Heart of the Sky,"
nothing occupied the large white wall.
"It was pretty barren and bland without it," says Doug Myers a
fourth-year philosophy student. "Now it’s a lot better because it
adds a lot of color to the room."
Upon his commission from Espresso Roma, Galindo visited the cafe
and became inspired by the contrasting financial theme and the
large blank wall. He wanted to fill the void and saw it as an
opportunity to communicate with the cafe’s crowd.
"When I came in to take a look at the space the first thing I
saw is this," Galindo says, pointing to the prominent stock market
exchange counter, the cafe’s central theme. "It’s this that is
almost like (art’s) opposite in our minds."
For most people, interest in stock quotes and abstract paintings
rarely coincide. Espresso Roma now embodies the best of business
and art.
"This is the future of most of the people that come here – the
stock market and the financial world," says Espresso Roma manager
David Carpenter. "But we also hope that they draw from both
worlds."
Together Carpenter and Galindo offer the cafe’s customers an
integrated setting, and both hope to draw a diverse crowd. With
this as motivation, Galindo needed little convincing to create the
painting.
"This is unique," Galindo says. "It gives me a different
perspective on what art can do for a community."
Galindo is quite supportive of the idea of displaying inside
coffee shops, even though there are mixed opinions about the art’s
sophistication. He does admit to feeling those influences earlier
in his career.
"At some point in my life I hesitated to say yes (to displaying)
in a coffee place or not because it might not be up to my caliber,"
Galindo says. "At this point, I can choose to be anywhere."
Being an established artist, musician and writer, Galindo
recently released a book that showcases all these talents. He has
pride in his work regardless of where he is playing or showing,
stressing that it is the same work either way.
"It’s the same thing with art. Either you’re playing in the
Hollywood Bowl for 20,000 or you’re a musician like the guy that
plays in the coffee places," Galindo says. "What’s the difference?
This is the same piece that would be shown somewhere else."
Many are supportive of the exposure that coffee shops give to
artists and customers, despite those preconceptions. For the
students studying inside Espresso Roma, the art offers them culture
during their busy schedules.
"It gives them an avenue that they typically don’t have – trying
to go to a gallery," says Allan Burdine, a friend of the artist.
"It’s more open."
Whether or not the attraction will bring in more students is
unknown. However, Espresso Roma’s scene will be different for its
usual customers who are accustomed to New York Stock Exchange
memorabilia.
"Business is kind of boring and the art spices it up," Myers
says. "It makes it a little more interesting and more like a
cafe."
ART: For more information on Espresso Roma’s artwork, call (310)
206-2976.
LYNN NISHIMURA
Mazatl Galindo, an artist from Mexico City, attempts to bring
creative expression to the business-centered portion of campus.
DERRICK KUDO
Mazatl Galindo’s artwork is currently on display in The Anderson
School’s Espresso Roma Cafe.