VENCEJOS, VUELOS Y FRONTERAS.
Swifts, flights and borders
I have been fortunate to return to the Alps to paint again. This time to participate in the Eternelles Crapules Festival, in Briançon. A small French town hidden between valleys and mountains with incredible landscapes. And I must say that the road there was not entirely easy, but finally everything turned out well. It is a paradox but I would like to tell you about it:
It had never happened to me before, but when you participate in these types of festivals, creative "freedom" is usually one of the pillars, but it couldn't be completely like that. I had to go back in my steps and, after many changes, give my arm to twist to present a new sketch, which did not talk about borders, immigration or refugees. I must emphasize that it was not a matter of the organization. Sometimes it is difficult to talk about what yourself would like, and migrations are among these sensitive topics.
Making the decision to accept it and move on was not easy. I looked for a way to continue talking about what I would, without speaking directly about it, and I found a good ally in the royal swifts. I really wanted to go to Briançon to participate in the festival, but it was clear to me that I couldn't not talk about what happened, and that the opinion of some should not influence my participation.
After all, how could I not participate in a project like this in a place like Briançon.
By Fabe Collage
After 17 hours of travel and 4 different vehicles, a vaccination passport and several stopovers, I arrived in Briançon to carry out this mural and to participate in the festival together with the rest of the artists.
By Fabe Collage
My new proposal has had the Royal Swift (Apus apus) as protagonist. A bird that does not need to touch land to cross borders. Every year they travel twice throughout Europe and Africa. They can and do travel thousands of kilometers without perching, without giving explanations and without needing them. They are animals that can spend several months flying in the air, without having to stop, to their final destinations in search of better climates.
They cross the Mediterranean Sea in large groups, fly over the Pyrenees or the Alps and reach the Carpathians, then they return to warmer areas after a few months.
It has been a pleasure to be part of this festival and have enjoyed this place, see you soon without a doubt.
Thanks to Lucas and Maelle for all the effort and to all the artists I have met there.
Ah, the return at least was more enjoyable…
Pictures by Fabe Collage.
SER ÁRBOL PARA LOS ÁRBOLES. MOSTAR, BOSNIA
“To be a tree for the trees. Be oak.”
This is the title of my last mural that I made for the Street Art Festival in Mostar, Bosnia. A special city, with a very special atmosphere.
In early September I have spent 10 days in Mostar, painting, walking and enjoying a lively and joyful city that very recently experienced a civil war that can be seen on every wall, on every corner. All the buildings are "adorned" with many bullet holes, as a souvenir, with which the inhabitants of Mostar coexist so as not to forget.
Being able to cross the city on foot every day was a gift. Going to the wall, going to eat, coming home, visiting the other artists ... there was always a new corner to walk through.
The location of my mural could not be different. An old house where today only one family lived on the lower floor. Surrounded completely by nature but located near the city center, a perfect and delicate environment, with much to tell on its own. This is why I decided to give great importance to the background and try to respect it as much as I could, trying to mix my work with the whole environment.
This was the final result:
To hold or support the oak, to be a tree for the trees.
In Latin “robur” means strength, but also oak.
Food and home for more species than any other.
Symbol of generosity and patience.
Hundreds of years to grow and up to fifty to flourish.
To be oak for the trees,
be oak.
Some details and photos about the process:
Thanks to the entire organization for the treatment, to the rest of the artists I met: Ricardo, Pelucas, and Medianeras ... for the good times, and to the people of Mostar for treating me so well.
Special thanks to Marina for all the work and making it possible.
It has been a pleasure and I hope to return soon!
TAN LINE x Taquen
About sunsets and sunrises. My collaboration with the aesthetic and sustainable cycling apparel based in Madrid, Spain.
The bike has always been part of my life, since I was a child. Until recently I only used it to move around the city and my daily workouts were focused on kilometers by foot and three or four days of climbing.
Sport and movement are axes on which my life and my work are based. I understand movement as a basic form of knowledge, of oneself and our environment; and knowing where we live is essential to respect it.
Madrid, where I live, is not a friendly place to get around by bike, those who use it know it, but maybe that makes it a bit more fun. Every morning after training, I cycle the scarce 10 km that separate my house from the studio north of the city. I go down to the center, go home, go up to the climbing wall, visit my parents, my friends, do the shopping or go to the physio, always by bicycle. For me it is a breath of freedom in the middle of a maelstrom.
Living in a big city is complicated, but being able to sneak between cars through traffic jams, choose the shortest or longest route, wake up with the air in your face, move your legs, sweat and reach your destination with a different energy, makes me feel a bit more free and alive.
Last winter I bought my first road bike and my day-to-day vehicle became another way of training, another hobby. I started go cycling with Jorge, founder of TAN LINE and also my friend, with whom until then I had only shared a few races running.
I always looked at him jealous. The bike, the clothes, the designs, the colors... everything attracted me, but I didn't make up my mind, until one day we were already cycling together. Shortly after we were already talking about what this collaboration is today:
TAN LINE x Taquen.
TAN LINE is a sports fashion brand, pioneer in the use of sustainable and recycled fabrics with minimalist designs for use in endurance sports.
Inspired by the first and last lights of long summer days.
Going out to train at dawn or dusk is almost mandatory and Madrid usually offers us colored skies in warm, pastel and violet tones while the sun appears or hides behind the Sierra de Guadarrama, mixing its tones with the blues of the mountains.
This is the result of our collaboration.
From all this the design of my latest collaboration with Tan Line was born, a jersey from his SuperB collection, faithful to its minimalist style, on which these mountains are drawn that are lost among the colors of the sky.
It is a limited edition, accompanied by a hand-printed tote bag at Ruda Studio with the original design.
Let’s ride!
VIUDAS DE VIVOS. VIGO, GALICIA.
“Viudas de vivos” / “Widows of living” For Vigo Ciudad del Color Festival, July 2021.
During the month of July, I finally had the opportunity to paint in Galicia, my homeland, more specifically in the city of Vigo, participating in Ciudad del Color urban art festival.
Galicia is a special land, with a special climate and very special people and it has not disappointed us.
The wall was in the Balaidos neighborhood, within the city of Vigo. A humble neighborhood that was built in a chaotic way, full of contrasts between low houses and tall buildings of neighborhood communities.
In Galicia, fishing involves 79% of economic activities, and the port of Vigo is the most important fishing port in Spain, which is why a large part of its male population spends long periods at sea.
This mural speaks about them: women and sailors' wives who spend their lifes waiting, caring for and raising their family members for months, during which time the sailors do not set foot on dry land.
Women who are in the shadows but whose work within the family nucleus, often also working, is essential.
This is the result of my days working in Vigo:
Thanks to all the organization of the festival for making it easy, to the artists that I could meet with a dropper due to the situation, to Isa, my partner and the model, to Noe and Lía for the treatment and the daily coffees and to the neighbors of Vigo for your answer.
It has been some great days in Galicia at last, hope to see you soon :)
L'EAU DE LOIRE, AT GIEN, FRANCE
"Agua del Loira" / "Loire water"
The last two weeks, and after many changes, I finally returned to share a residence with the Urban Art Agency team at Pressigni Les Pins. A great group of people who organize the Label Valette festival at the end of the summer and with whom I had the opportunity to work in the summer of 2020, creating a mural in the city of Montargis.
This year the project was different. The objective was to paint one of the three water tanks in the city of Gien, next to the Loire River. A totem with more than 35 meters high and with a total of 1500 square meters. It was an opportunity that I never imagined I could have and it has been incredible.
Inside the water tower. By Fabe Collage
The flat lands near the Loire Valley make the weather totally unpredictable and after 12 days of rain, wind, cold, heat and sun we managed to finish this great project. I am very grateful to Mathieu, Seb, Pepe and the other people who did their part to make it happen and worked with me in the process.
Some pictures about the process by Fabe Collage:
Water has always been synonymous with life. The human being developed the first civilizations along great rivers. The city of Gien is located on the banks of the Loire River, the second most important in France, where ospreys, common terns or gray herons are some of the many species that coexist, live and take advantage of its resources, such as the inhabitants of Gien. This water tank is one of the many that can be seen in this area. Very flat lands that need high places to store the water and be able to distribute it.
A mural that does not end, that rotates, an infinite cycle. No beginning or end.
The movement through the flight of the birds of the Loire:
It has definitely been a cool and tough project in equal measure. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity.
Thanks again to Urban Art Agency, all the volunteers, the City of Gien and everyone involved. It has been a pleasure and I hope we will see each other again soon.
STREET ART FEST GRENOBLE ALPS
For a week I have had the opportunity to participate in the Street Art Fest Grenoble Alps, organized by SpaceJunk and which runs throughout the month of June and July.
After several wall changes and some doubts, I found a cultural center located on the outskirts. A building that was in a very quiet area, totally surrounded by trees, parks, bicycles, sports and music. It turned out to be a perfect place to spend a week painting.
Grenoble is an incredible city located at the beginning of the French Alps. The flattest city in France is rounded by three large mountain ranges that give way to the Great Alps. Its richness in fauna and flora is indisputable, but there are also many of the animal and plant species in danger of extinction and many others that have already disappeared. Even some such as the bearded vulture became extinct during the 20th century. Fortunately, during the last 30 years a reintroduction of the species has been carried out and now we can enjoy it again flying in the great ravines.
The human being is the main cause, and sometimes the solution, of the extinction of the vast majority of animal and plant species.
This was the result of a hard week of heat and humidity, with the best company:
”Bearded vultures and some of the last blue sea hollies from the Alps." On coexistence, respect and not having to regret it.
Here are also some incredible photos of the process, taken by Andrea Berlese.
In my work I seek to respect the environment in which I carry out the mural as much as possible, integrating the work and respecting the community. Something similar should happen when we share space and time with other species.
I would like to especially thank the entire organization, the volunteers, the other artists with whom I spent these days and the residents of Grenoble for getting so involved. It has been an incredible week.
Thanks especially to Iñaki and Silvia, for their closeness.
I hope you enjoy my work and see you soon around wherever!