2015 » Spain » Section of Countries and Regions

Muérete

Spain today is undergoing extensive social and political changes, the key catalyst of which has been an economic crisis that has now lasted for many years, damaging our social model and confronting us with harsh reality. In this context, a significant proportion of today’s creators are searching for a path towards contemporary thinking that is distant from anything conventional. Whether the path is covered in dust or mud, it must be followed if new territories are to be explored. Many feel that they must get their hands dirty and become contaminated by beauty, ugliness, mundanity, maintaining at all costs their artistic and ethical convictions and, in some cases, failing and having to start from scratch.

We live in a society of information, technological development and communication, at a time when technological advances are constantly making new tools available and posing challenges for artistic creation. Such changes affect neighbouring countries and have political and social consequences. Constant change is a fact of life today. We want to show that social evolution is an unstoppable process and that anyone who does not accept this reality might as well be dead.

Our world is one of anxiety and unease, in which many of our previous certainties are being questioned or have, quite simply, disappeared. Perhaps the best attitude for individuals is to bury their certainties in order to face up to new collective ideals. This is the objective proposed by the Spanish pavilion at the Prague Quadrennial 2015.

The artistic proposal will be an installation as a dramatic element based on metaphorical death, similar to the ideas of the classical playwrights of the Spanish Golden Age. This concept, from a lay or profane point of view, will encourage the public to advance towards new ideals. We shall represent a dramatized death as a means of purification and resurrection. A space of light, shade and music, bringing us close to the human condition.

The theatrical and artistic actions taking place in the street are based on the experiences of people who act freely in their daily lives but, because of their colour, religion or culture, are seen as unusual by society.

To explain this concept artistically, actions will take place over one day in the city of Prague. A car and a caravan carrying the performers will travel round the streets and squares, offering various theatrical performances. They will carry everything they need to perform a variety of everyday activities, with the aim of bringing citizens into contact with the theatrical characters.

Exhibiting artists / ateliers

• José Luis Raymond

* 1954, Portugalete (Vizcaya)
Specialization: teacher, painter , sculptor, scenographer, curator
Education: Fine Arts and Pedagogy - University of the Basque Country (Bilbao); postgraduate studies in sculpture and theatre space in Warsaw and Amsterdam; study and awarding of master's degree - Faculty of Fine Arts - Complutense University of Madrid
Collaboration with theatres: Spanish National Theatre, Spanish Classical Theatre
Teaching activities: Stage Design and Acting on the Stage - teaching at the Royal Higher School of Dramatic Arts in Madrid (RESAD)
Participation in other important exhibitions: Kunst RAI (1990) Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Continuing collaboration with directors: Ernesto Caballero
Additional information: J.L.Raymond teaches stage design and is engaged in the study of body and objects on the stage. He combines teaching with visual arts exhibitions and works as stage director and stage designer for private and public companies.