![Spanish Paintings in Las Ramblas, Barcelona: Collage [enlarge]](http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1253/1386052762_6fbe3d9ff5_o.jpg)
Here is a collage of Spanish paintings about topics such as bullfighting and flamenco plus some everyday scenes of Barri Gotic or El Raval streets, two quarters nearby Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Paintings like these are frequently ignored by Barcelonians and I guess this happens in other cities like say Paris, London...,but they obviously trap tourists like ants on a sugar lump. I don't say it isn't art but they are mostly centered on cliches and contribute to enhance them. When we visit Paris or London they do the same to us and we bite on the bait! Come to think of it I would do the same if I were to paint for money. So this is not the artist's fault, it is the cultural authorities' responsibility to promote a more representative art without forgetting, and I stress this, the cliches which are also part, in this case, of Spanish culture.
Call me naive or an ant on a sugar lump, but I love these cliches!! Doesn't harm anyone because they're a fun way to recognize an aspect of the culture. I really like the street scenes, tho. Have a good week-end, Carlos!
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought this was collage which you created ... Hopefully the art is not on black velvet as is often the case in Mexico ... I have to admit that I would be one of the ants.
ReplyDelete_Have a nice weekend both of you. Kate I understand you like these paintings. I do too. It's just that I would like some more variety. And I wanted to muse a little on how we like things that locals tend to ignore.
ReplyDelete_Thanks Denton. You're right it could be worse or better said, not so good. As I said before we buy souvenirs somewhere else except for our city. Although I would hang some of those on my livingroom walls :)
Excelentes quadros.
ReplyDeletei like these paintings a lot. Very colorful and I like the why way some of them are "moving".
ReplyDeleteNice paintings, we bought one about a spanish dancer girl, as same as this picture left corner. :)
ReplyDeleteBullfighting: It's not ART; its not CULTURE; its not SPORT; its TORTURE (ask the MAJORITY of the people in the bullfighting countries of Spain; Portugal; France; Mexico; Colombia; Ecuador; Guatemala; Peru and Venezuela that are working on, and passing BANS and ABOLITION of bullfights).
ReplyDeleteBullfighting: The most indefensible and abhorrent type of animal abuse that IS and always WILL BE; a "TRADITION of CRUELTY."
Bullfighting is not a fight at all, but a systematic torture-killing that pits a gang of armed thugs wielding razor-sharp barbed spikes, spears, swords and daggers (these weapons are designed to inflict intense pain and cause massive blood loss to weaken the animal) against a lone, terrified; confused; fatally disabled and wounded animal.
It’s a sickening economic industry based on HORRIFYING victimization; sadistic abuse; extreme cruelty and mutilation and torture of bulls (and horses) during the cruel exhibitions of bullfights (which are barbaric "blood" fiestas): Close-up Horror of Bullfighting (Graphic) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvwQ4Dmlur8
Handlers weaken and cripple the bull for days before the bullfight. They starve him; give him laxatives and deny him water, or they put massive doses of sulphates (epsom salts) in his water to induce severe diarrhea, intestinal pain and subsequent lack of coordination in the ring. He is beaten with heavy sandbags on his back and kidneys. He is wedged into a tiny corral and drugged to make him docile. Up to four inches of horn is hacked off with a saw down to the tender quick to interfere with his ability to navigate; the mutilated stump rounded off with a rasp and smeared with black grease; his hooves are burned with turpentine.
They blind him with vaseline rubbed into his eyes and drug him; they stuff his ears so that he cannot hear; they stuff his nostrils so that he cannot breath. Just before he enters the ring he is harpooned/stabbed in the back with a steel "breeder's mark." In the ring, they drive razor-sharp lances and harpoons into his back and neck muscles so he can’t lift his head. By the time the matador appears, the bull is weak from blood loss and dizzy from being chased in circles.
The horses used in bullfights are old and drugged. Wet newspaper is stuffed in their ears so that they will not hear the approaching bull and run away; their vocal cords are cut so the audience will not hear their cries. They wear long blankets to hide their entrails, which spill out when they are gored and disemboweled by the tortured; agonizing bull (who has been deceived into thinking that the horse is causing his pain, instead of the "wicked human" riding the horse).
It’s no fun to see an innocent, crazed animal tortured before a screaming crowd of people, who should be hanging their heads in shame. Even if you leave after 15 to 20 minutes, the damage has been done – your money has gone to support this hellish, satanic business, which "decent people" are working to "end."
The continuation of bullfighting depends on government subsidies and to an even GREATER EXTENT, the IGNORANT "TOURIST" industry.
Don’t be a DISGRACEFUL "ACCOMPLICE" to this SAVAGERY by promoting/marketing it to IGNORANT "CUSTOMERS/TOURISTS" via any "pro"-animal TORTURE "products."
Please help these "suffering" animals – STAY AWAY FROM BULLFIGHTS; speak out against them with the TRUTH and DEMAND that they be ABOLISHED.
Michel Michaeljohn (An American of Spanish descent).
I totally agree with Michel Michaeljohn
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