Esta publicación también está disponible en: English Español
On the evening of February 22, 2024 Casa Cupula inaugurated an amazing event in collaboration with Qulture to highlight the incredible talent of up and coming artists.
I arrived on the clear and breezy evening, and was immediately taken with the flavor of the Bistro at Casa Cupula, where the event was held.
Music was in the air, as a violinist paired the eternal sounds of his instrument with a variety of modern offerings, playing simultaneously, and in perfect unison. The room emitted a definite Spanish feel; a full length bar was situated at one end, and along the outside wall, archways opened to a large veranda which looked down onto an array of tropical foliage.
Guests mingled and sipped wine while getting to know the artists whose works were prominently displayed throughout. As I traversed the steps down to the rustically elegant room where the Bistro is located, coming up the steps to offer his greeting was exactly who I wished to speak to, the organizer of the event Cristhiam Castillo.
As the conversation ensued, I learned he is originally from Cauca, Colombia, in the south of Colombia, and as he said with a smile, “the soul of Colombia,” as well. He discovered Puerto Vallarta four years ago, and like most of us in the foreign community, it was a vacation that initially brought him to this special place.
Castillo is the Casa Cupula Hotel Art curator, and an art dealer by trade. In the months Cristhiam has been in PV he has put his heart and soul into this project, a labor of love. He shared the names of the five thriving artists whose works were celebrated, all but one, who is living in Columbia, are full time residents of Puerto Vallarta.
The following are the talented artists, who have my personal kudos for the incredible art they have created; Rodolfo Blanco, Gaya Kairos, Nicolas Rodoletto, El Chico sin Cabello de Pan, and Angelo Sannasardo, respectively.
The idea behind the concept, is to infuse art with an atmosphere of gaiety and camaraderie, and present potential buyers the occasion to get to know the artists whose works they so admire. Every painting in the exhibit is for sale, and adjacent to each is noted; the name of the piece, the type of paint used, the dimensions, the price in US dollars, and the artist’s name who created the painting.
Cristhiam wanted to give his thanks to all who attended the event, and to express his gratitude for the wonderful partnership with Qulture whose invaluable collaboration helped make the project possible.
The event was expertly anchored by Lalo Gil, the well known host of the incredibly popular Casa Cupula weekend pool parties.
The art work displayed ran the gamut from a stately likeness of Joan Crawford gazing down upon the lively bar below, painted by Angelo Sannasardo, to a matador in all his glory, ready for battle, painted by Nicolas Rodoletto.
Rodolfo Blanco’s piece, loudly proclaiming “I Hate this Body,” as well as his other vibrant creations shone brightly.
Swimmers in beautiful deep blue water painted by Gaya Kairos hung against rustic brick, a perfect pairing of earth and sea.
The painting by El Chico sin Cabello de Pan featuring a brillant yellow sun with the likeness of two skeletons in the middle, surrounded by deep orange hues, captures human suffering at its core.
These aforementioned wonders, along with other captivating works by these same artists make the event a must see for those in the community that appreciate art at its deepest level.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Gaya Kairos, one of the featured artists. She is the owner of GAIA Galeria, which is located at C. Guadalupe Sanchez 662, Centro, 48300. It is an intimate space bursting with character, and it exudes the beautiful warmth of Gaya, the gallery’s creator.
A short time later, Angelo Sannasardo, of Joan Crawford fame, was kind enough to share his thoughts on what the Casa Cupula art event concept means to him.
“Casa Cupula has embraced local artists, giving us an amazing opportunity to present our art work,” Angelo shared, he concluded “thank you to Don, Chris, and the staff for your love and support.”
As the evening drew to a close, I had the honor of meeting Casa Cupula founder and owner Don Pickens. He was kind enough to share his thoughts on the opening day and Casa Cupula’s commitment to highlighting great art for his guests and the local community alike.
“Casa Cupula is very proud to sponsor up and coming artists in Puerto Vallarta, and give them free exposure to showcase their craft,” Don shared. “We are part of this community, and we do it, because we love supporting all of our friends in the LGBTQ community.”
The amazingly diverse paintings, a lens into each artist’s soul, will continue to be displayed in the Bistro at Casa Cupula, and the art event which features; live music, wine and hors d’oeuvres will take place every few weeks. Be sure to check out the Casa Cupula website (casacupula.com) for dates and times. Hope to see everyone there soon. Enjoy.
Casa Cupula Art Show
Calle Jon de la Igualdad 129 Col. Amapas,
Telephone +52 322 223 2484
Photos by Oscar Almeida:
Related:
Esta publicación también está disponible en: English Español
