BETH WALDMAN

"The City of Sillar" is not only a tourist destination, but my 
maternal homeland.  Arequipa has three primary 
mountains, The Misti, The Chachani and The Pichu Pichu. 
The white city of Arequipa was built brick by brick out of its 
Chachani & Misti Mountain's own volcanic rock, known as 
Sillar. From the Spanish colonial churches to the simple 
homes in the barrios, hand carved sillar bricks have created 
the spaces in which the Arequipians live, dream, pray, and 
on which they walk. These bricks have a layered history. A 
brick of sillar once part of a cathedral tower now exists as 
part of a family's rebuilt home. Worn down sillar from broken 
buildings is cleaned and reshaped to build new homes in 
the countrysides like Sabandia of Arequipa. While I have 
visited Arequipa multiple times as a child, a recent trip in 
October of 2010 inspired this current series of work.

My own history with The City involves layers of stories of 
three generations before me who once occupied the 
mansions in the central and outskirts of the city along with 
those of my own in the late seventies and mid-eighties as a 
child. Since the 1970s, Arequipa has expanded its barrios 
tremendously. However, never had I witnessed the city as I 
did during my last trip. I saw constructed and unconstructed 
homes speak of the cultural landscape that taking one 
family unit and expanding it three levels high with each 
growing generation. The rebar lining the skyline speaks of 
dreams and stories untold, of commitment and hope. The 
concrete blocks speak of financial success not of financial 
limitation.

My interest is to share a side of Arequipa that is not typically 
seen. It is not only a story of the building blocks, but also 
how the building is reflective of the culture of the people. It is 
also about how within the same set of walls, there are many 
untold stories of lives had and lives being lived. There are 
great grandparents, and grandparents, and parents and 
children. Their stories and faces breathe the life into the 
architecture of the city, both those noted in the known tourist 
images such as they cathedrals and convents but more 
importantly, to me, in the barrios that appear to most as half 
constructed homes. It is a city that truly is built brick by brick 
by its people. One of the many traditions of the naming of 
Arequipa says that the Inca Mayta Cápac received a petition 
from his subjects to reach the valley of the Chili. They 
requested permission to stay in the region, because they 
were amazed by the beautiful scenery and mild climate. The 
Inca responded, "Ari qhipay" (in Quechua: "Yes, Here I will 
stay").