Luis Cobelo · 'Chas Chas'

“Chas Chas” is a personal tribute to the city of Buenos Aires, through a particular and poetic neighborhood called Parque Chas. The project is inspired by an Argentinian comic book series of the same name. The comic reveals the adventures of a writer who was told that fantastic and extraordinary things happen there, that the center of the neighborhood was architecturally constructed similar to a spider's web or a labyrinth. 

The ´Chas-chassians´ say that if you enter into that concentric form, you may never leave and magical things can happen to you. Many say that this is the reality and not what is out there. Many years later, Luis Cobelo decided to travel thousands of kilometers to see for himself whether the saying he had heard about this mythical place was true: "Everything you ever lost in life, exists in Parque Chas." And yes, it does. 

“Chas Chas,” the exhibition, has been presented in Italy, first in Palermo in 2020 and this year in Ferrera as part of the Riaperture Foto Festival. Luis’ photobook, “Chas Chas,” was shortlisted in Arles and Lens Culture.

About the artist: 

Luis Cobelo (b. 1970, Venezuela) holds a degree in Philosophy from the University of Zulia in Venezuela. He was raised between Venezuela and Spain, where he became a photographer. Beginning in 1993, he participated in numerous international photography festivals and solo exhibitions. Working independently across borders since 2001, Luis has developed documentary projects in the Americas, Asia and Europe, and has been published in magazines and newspapers worldwide. He is based in San Francisco, California.