The Pico arrived

What remains to be said about the Carnival of Barranquilla. Colombia's most important festival has already been shown in a thousand and one ways. It is hard to find an original angle, an eye-popping photograph, a challenging testimony or an unpublished story. It's hard, I say, but every year the media land on la arenosa with the faith of finding it all, like someone looking for a treasure without a map.

Link to the article.

In the mid 60's, Alfonzo Navarro, cousin of the legendary Concepción Hernández, returned from fighting in the Korean War, he was wounded in a leg that was later amputated. His friends called Alfonso EL COREANO, and together with Concepción they baptized this way to the gigantic machine with which they made parties all over the south of Barranquilla. This vibrant box is perpetuated by the painting that reminds us of movies like Apocalypse Now or Full Metal Jacket. The artist is William Gutiérrez, who by that time was already a legend for his realistic paintings.

The vinyl full of fluorescent colors spreads through the cracks of the picos and forms El Coreano. He has also made 'El Solista', 'El Gran Che', 'El Gran Pijuán', 'El Rojo' and 'El Melódico'. His technique comes from Alsanders, one of the two legendary picós painters, together with Belimastth. He is William Gutiérrez, one of the most outstanding painters of the current picoteril scene, from his workshop-home located in El Barrio Santo Domingo.