Nighttime strollers in Puerto Vallarta last weekend may have been mystified by a stage with an ocean backdrop from which an impressive lineup of Mexicans, Canadians, French and Americans read poetry to gathered listeners.
This and similar events were part of Letras en la Mar (Letters in the Sea), an annual festival organized by the University of Guadalajara and Art21 Studio and foundry, who award ‘artist emeritus medals’ and ‘silver shells’ to writers and visual artists.
‘The medals are given to artists with a century-long trajectory,’ said Art21 Studio owner Francisco Quiroz. ‘But we are talking about a Maya century, which is only 52 years!’ Here, left to right, are poet Carmen Villoro, 93-year-old experimental poet Raul Renan, and Guadalajara poet Jorge Souza.