Hallucinatory - that's just the way everyday life is, in Colombia. All the time, you say to yourself, did I just see that?
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I've been following what's happening in Colombia because it's the country of my childhood.
I'm Colombian and nothing will change that.
We have a bad image in the world, I've got to admit. I just want people to think twice about Colombia. Don't go by the first impression.
I think in South America people are very, uh, they have no inhibitions and wear their hearts on their sleeves - what's the word? They're very expressive, demonstrative.
The basic dream of many Colombians is to have a secure nation, without exclusions, with equity, and without hatred.
As a Colombian, the only way I can relate to my country is through suffering. I hope that my children and my grandchildren will relate to the beautiful country in a way that it is positive and loving.
I love my country, and it hurts not to be able to see my country, as I did for so many years. I hope that I will one day be able to live in a peaceful Colombia.
In Colombia, education is sometimes considered a luxury, not a human right. And it's not a priority in the agendas of many leaders.
On one hand, it seems strange that a country that has suffered so much from violence and war would be debating if they want peace or not. But in Colombia, a part of society is deeply connected with the war as a means of making a living.
I'm the most Colombian of the Colombians, even though I've lived 47 years outside of Colombia. I've lived 13 years in New York, and I never did a painting about New York. I've lived in France more than 30 years, and I've never painted Paris.