Last month the Biennial of the Americas was held in Denver. I had the opportunity to attend quite a few of the events associated with The Nature of Things exhibition. One of the speaker series panels in particular left an impression on me….Lure of the Unknown Love or Tropical Fantasies: Mexican Curator Paola Santoscoy and artist Jerónimo Hagerman.

A point that came up in the discussion was the notion that most North Americans come to view Latin America as this tropical fantasy world, filled with beaches, palm trees, and a world where time stands still. Consequentially it makes tend to think negatively of the cold. What many fail to recognize is that when Latin Americans think of the United States they envision the rugged topography and lifestyle of the west, filled with vast stretches of mountains, rivers, desert, and snow.  That’s what paradise looks like to them.

This all got me thinking about culture-making (Hope to write a post soon addressing this concept)…

What if you dream about doing something so much that you actually create your version of it? In this case I’d like to examine snowboarding in Mexico. Now on the surface the notion of shredding there seems impossible. Or is it? I came across a video that Red Bull put out of Hans and Nils Midnich and set my brain in motion.

While it would be hard to argue that Mexico City is a shred destination, what this clip tells me, there’s is a niche of Chilangos trying to connect themselves to the sport. After doing a little research, I found out there’s a resort outside the Distrito Federal. Now what this all says to me is that regardless, of what might be perceived, there are those willing to do whatever it takes to get out there ride. And isn’t that what makes the snowboard lifestyle so appealing?

This might help us understand why so many Mexican nationals visit Vail and Beaver Creek each year. And it’s why many young Latinos born and raised in the United States aspire to embrace the snowboard lifestyle. They want to find themselves in a mountain fantasy…a lure of the unknown.

Tags: Beaver Creek Ski Resort, Biennial of the Americas, Culture-making, Denver, Mexico, Red Bull, Snowboarding, U.S. Latino Market, Vail Resort