Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
San José features a regular lineup of domestic and international rock, folk and hip-hop
artists, but you'll find that the regional sounds also survive, each with their own special
rhythms, instruments and styles. For instance, the Península de Nicoya has a rich musical
history, most of it made with guitars, maracas and marimbas. The traditional sound on the
Caribbean coast is calypso, which has roots in Afro-Caribbean slave culture.
Popular dance music includes Latin dances, such as salsa, merengue, bolero and
cumbia
. Guanacaste is also the birthplace of many traditional dances, most of which depict
courtship rituals between country folk. The most famous dance - sometimes considered
the national dance - is the
punto guanacasteco
. What keeps it lively is the
bomba,
a funny
(and usually racy) rhymed verse shouted by the male dancers during the musical interlude.
Painting & Sculpture
The visual arts in Costa Rica first took on a national character in the 1920s, when
Teodórico Quirós, Fausto Pacheco and their contemporaries began painting landscapes that
differed from traditional European styles, depicting the rolling hills and lush forest of the
Costa Rican countryside, often sprinkled with characteristic adobe houses.
The contemporary scene is more varied and it is difficult to define a unique Tico style.
Several individual artists have garnered acclaim for their work, including the magical real-
ism of Isidro Con Wong, the surreal paintings and primitive engravings of Francisco
Amighetti and the mystical female figures painted by Rafa Fernández. The Museo de Arte
y Diseño Contemporáneo in San José is the top place to see this type of work, and its per-
manent collection is a great primer.
Many art galleries are geared toward tourists and specialize in 'tropical art' (for lack of
an official description): brightly colored, whimsical folk paintings depicting flora and
fauna that evoke the work of French artist Henri Rousseau.
Folk art and handicrafts are not as widely produced or readily available here as in other
Central American countries. However, the dedicated souvenir hunter will have no problem
finding the colorful Sarchí oxcarts that have become a symbol of Costa Rica. Indigenous
crafts, which include intricately carved and painted masks made by the Boruca, as well as
handwoven bags and linens, can also be found in San José and more readily in southern
Costa Rica.
