Little Boy Lost: Dear Mum.....

Las Primeras Luces (The first lights), Fernando Allievi

Dear Mum, 

Something about the little boy's face in this mural at the underground station Retiro in Buenos Aires reminded me of the painting of the little boy hanging on the wall in the bedroom where we used to sleep at Nanna and Grandad's.  Do you see what I mean?  I think it's something about the boy's sad eyes.  I can't seem to find any reference to why the mural was designed or what it represented, but it seemed to me to represent the lost children of the city.  My general impression of Buneos Aires has been that it is huge and cosmopolitan, bubbling with life and creativity, rich in culture and in cash.    But there is also a faintly visible strand of poverty, which includes little kids working on the trains.  

Early on in my stay Daniela had mentioned a 'favela' barrio at the Retiro bus station, separated from the luxury of the surrounding streets by a wall lined in rubbish.  Having decided to make a collaborative video-street art response to Buenos Aires we chose to shoot our first scene there to document this contrast.`  It was after this shoot that a little child came up to me to ask for cash and I was surprised and saddened to notice her dirty face and bare feet, the first sign of poverty I'd noticed since arriving.

Almost every tube and train journey afterwards I noticed more children (also many adults) working the carriages selling various items including gum or prayer cards by first placing them on the knees of all the passengers in the carriage, then returning to recollect them and/ or take some coins in return.  

I also became aware of the financial issues that Argentina has faced over recent years when the ban on US dollars was mentioned - no one can withdraw or legally buy or sell dollars.  President Cristina Fernandez apparently instigated the ban in July 2012 as a way to control inflation, which has been a huge problem, reflected in this stealthy 'Adbusters' style graffiti sticker Daniela spotted on the tube, photographed below.  What it now means is that there is a huge demand for dollars meaning anyone entering the country with cash dollars can get a lot more pesos for them on the black market than the legitimate exchange rate.

(Stealthly graffiti on the BsAs subte) Take care of your belongings.  The State will try to rob them from you by means of taxes and inflation.

But to move on from these issues, Mum, here is a photo for you taken just round the corner from Daniela's home in the Caballitos barrio:  an Irish shop!  I was somehow surprised to spot this in this corner of South America, but clearly the love of the Irish is everywhere!  And yes, there are of course Irish Pubs, in fact my first day in the city I was enjoying a local Argentinian beer in one with the three friends from the hostel Günter, Mel and Liam.

Missing you lots and hoping your ankle heals up fast.

Lots and lots of love Mum, 

from Kimberley 

xx

:-)