Dora Guzman

Noche de luchas en la arena (3’25“)

Wrestling night in La Arena Querétaro, México. Lucha Libre (wrestling) has established itself in México; with popular culture it creates legends in the ring. Legends in the strictest sense of the word: characters whose mere names like El Santo, Huracán Ramírez, Blue Demon... are the nostalgic, glowing, epic poetry of an audience that enjoys its night of guttural pleasure in México.
This night in La Arena Querétaro, as every Tuesday, the Lucha Libre is a feast to HEAR & SEE.
The audience is completely uninterested in knowing whether the contest is rigged or not: the audience abandons itself to the primary virtue of the spectacle, which is to abolish all motives and all consequences. What matters is not what they think, but what they HEAR & SEE.
How many people may say that their childhood idol and his father’s is the same? El Santo and El Hijo del Santo are a legend to be continued, both are the same to the audience.
This night, in Querétaro, the legend of El Perro Aguayo continues with his son El Hijo del Perro Aguayo who fights and finally, of course, wins, against Heavy Metal.
Sharing the night we find beautiful and strong women: fighters as Lady Apache, Amapola and Medusa. They do not only break the neck of their enemies, but also the heart of their fans. “I love you Lady Apache, marry me!” someone yells tonight.
This night the audience yells for the son, el Hijo del Perro as 20 years ago they did for his father. The shout of freedom and pleasure is the same that one thousand years ago Aztecs yelled in front of the sacrifice stone.
This night, in la ARENA QUERETARO, in México, photography and audio become the main narrators between the ropes.
Barthes says “Wrestling is the only sport that offers a clear image of torture. But still what is really important in it is image, to HEAR & SEE.”
The audience does not desire real suffering. Its pleasure is the delight of iconography. Wrestling is not a sadist spectacle; it is only a clear spectacle of sound and image, which we here try to share with you. (Music/ Raul Muñoz; Sound-editing/ Victor Obregon)

(Photo: Tatiana Vallejo)





		DORA GUZMAN/ TATIANA VALLEJO
	Noche de luchas en la arena (3’25“) Wrestling night in La Arena Querétaro, México. Lucha Libre (wrestling) has established itself in México; with popular culture it creates legends in the ring. Legends in the strictest sense of the word: characters whose mere names like El Santo, Huracán Ramírez, Blue Demon... are the nostalgic, glowing, epic poetry of an audience that enjoys its night of guttural pleasure in México. This night in La Arena Querétaro, as every Tuesday, the Lucha Libre is a feast to HEAR & SEE. The audience is completely uninterested in knowing whether the contest is rigged or not: the audience abandons itself to the primary virtue of the spectacle, which is to abolish all motives and all consequences. What matters is not what they think, but what they HEAR & SEE. How many people may say that their childhood idol and his father’s is the same? El Santo and El Hijo del Santo are a legend to be continued, both are the same to the audience. This night, in Querétaro, the legend of El Perro Aguayo continues with his son El Hijo del Perro Aguayo who fights and finally, of course, wins, against Heavy Metal. Sharing the night we find beautiful and strong women: fighters as Lady Apache, Amapola and Medusa. They do not only break the neck of their enemies, but also the heart of their fans. “I love you Lady Apache, marry me!” someone yells tonight. This night the audience yells for the son, el Hijo del Perro as 20 years ago they did for his father. The shout of freedom and pleasure is the same that one thousand years ago Aztecs yelled in front of the sacrifice stone. This night, in la ARENA QUERETARO, in México, photography and audio become the main narrators between the ropes. Barthes says “Wrestling is the only sport that offers a clear image of torture. But still what is really important in it is image, to HEAR & SEE.” The audience does not desire real suffering. Its pleasure is the delight of iconography. Wrestling is not a sadist spectacle; it is only a clear spectacle of sound and image, which we here try to share with you. (Music/ Raul Muñoz; Sound-editing/ Victor Obregon) (Photo: Tatiana Vallejo)