This is an unpublished project premiered today on C41 Magazine.
Pia Riverola was born and raised in Barcelona, and currently resides between Los Angeles and Mexico City. With an acute eye for detail and color, she creates captivating imagery across the genres of fashion, still life, landscape, documentary and architectural photography around the world.
began documenting on film as a way to remember the moment; a process she attributes to poor memory. What started as an experiment with disposable cameras as a child has blossomed into a fully-fledged and impressive career. Pia has collaborated for names such as Nike, Vogue Uk, Air France and many others because of the enormous versatility and eclectic attitude of her style, which, despite everything, always remains very consistent with itself.
About ‘IBioluminiscencia escondida’ – words by Pia Riverola:
Your watch not only slows down in this sleepy town on the pacific coast of Mexico, but the dial also seems to get pushed back to the sixties or seventies depending on how you feel. Driving up and down the curving two-lane highway, just an hour and a half flight from humming Mexico City hide, as its name implies, the dreamy gem of Puerto Escondido.
We stopped immediately after walking past the propeller planes at a bougainvillea-covered sign that revealed it was bougainvillea street for a hot quesadilla made by a kind older woman on a woodfire plancha and a couple of refreshing coconuts. Instantly hit with a tempo of tranquility and the notion that things take time here and that everything will be ok, there is no rush.
Farms and small food stands dot the stretch of road between the town and the beaches where Casa Wabi and Hotel Escondido are located just north of town. Cows, farms, fruit stands, grilled corn, and coconuts. Giant trees and glimpses of the ocean. The architecture is a wonderful mix of rustic and modern. Many of the buildings are brightly painted pinks, reds, and greens, complementing the flowers and natural colors of Oaxaca.
Driving past the Laguna de Manialtepec there are signs for viewing the bioluminescence. We stopped at a bend in the road marked by an opening to the lagoon and a family preparing food together at a table. An older man was lying in a hammock and a group of women sorting mussels and some type of insect and their children playing around them. A ten-year-old boy was in charge of negotiating our trip and the Esmerelda and Paloma were tied to a short dock ready to take us away. The boy got us a couple of beers for the trip and we set out through the mangroves as the sun was beginning to fade. Life preservers were available but optional as we drifted out past some local teenagers that were swimming together in the shallow water. They smiled for the camera and laughed at being photographed for a few moments in the golden light. The captain and his young son accompanied to show us that there is nothing to be afraid of when jumping into the dark water in the black of night. We looped around the perimeter to look for wildlife and finally toward the middle of the empty lagoon as the stars came out. A magical experience of swimming under the stars watching what looks like the same coverage you in the glowing water. The bioluminescence shadowing your movements with a faint blue-green light. An intoxicating experience on a peaceful lagoon floating on our backs looking up at the stars. The beauty of nature calming us deeper into appreciation.
The largest stretch of beach in town is called Playa Zicatela where at the point you can watch the powerful waves of the “Mexican Pipeline” and sip micheladas under an umbrella with the option of having ceviches and tacos on the beach or tucked away in one of the cute cafes just off the sand. Everything seems to be built in alignment with nature along the hillside of the town. Playa Carrizalillo feels slightly more hidden. There is a café lined street where you can check your email before taking a cobblestone staircase down to the Playa del Amor. The beach of love. A peaceful beach and bay with breathtaking views.
Back on the road a schoolyard with a beautifully painted pastel wall is a mark of the artistic collaborations brought to Escondido by the non-profit foundation Casa Wabi. A modern and sustainably designed complex by architect Tadao Ando. Created by artist Bosco Sodi, Casa Wabi is dedicated to having resident artists design projects for the local communities.
The massive thatched roof structure is all about sustainability and creating interactions between international artists and local Oaxacan residents. A truly beautiful project with a structure and environment to match. As you enter the sprawling concrete Rey and Chula the house Dalmations greet you warmly. The open atrium is decorated with pieces by Sodi and other resident artists that have taken part in the project. A gorgeous modern patio stretches out to the ocean with two separate geometric pools. Casa Wabi is a sculpt in itself and houses the studio of Sodi.
The neighboring Hotel Escondido was designed inspired by Casa Wabi. Here where we indulged for several days enjoying the beauty of the Mexican coast. Set far back from the road and right on the beach the minimalist design still offers everything that you need. If the hotel was fully booked there was no way to tell, rambling from pool to ocean and back again staying occupied enjoying the warmth of Oaxaca filled with simple luxuries. Swinging in the hammocks and walking along the beach, we climbed to the top of the nearby cliff to scream to the fisherman that we had also found this beautiful spot, but didn’t, because it’s a secret.
