Los artistas del barrio

As I mentioned last night, the second half of my Sunday was spent walking through art workshops, exhibits, and artists' homes & studios as part of an interesting art event called Los Artistas del Barrio (Artists of the Neighborhood).  This was the eighth year the event has been held.

For five euro you get a map and guidebook showing where all of the exhibits are, and a pin to wear.  The pin grants you access into all of the spaces.

The goal of the event is to take down the barrier that museums and exhibitions create, and show you art where it's created -- in artists' studios and homes.  The event featured painters, musicians, photographers, sculptors, film makers, actors, clothes designers, and more.  The variety was refreshing.

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We found out about the event through a friend, Maria Barbo, whose studio Mediodía Chica Asociación Cultural was participating.  Naturally, her space was the first that we visited.

Work by Maria Barbo

Work by Maria Barbo

Inside Mediodía Chica Asociación Cultural

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Here are some other sites we saw yesterday:

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One of my favorite spaces that we visited was the loft studio House of Ale. (Her website is still under construction, but hopefully soon we'll find it up and running).

The artist came up with us and explained the meaning of some of her works on display.

My favorite was a huge collection of plastered cubes.  Each cube had two parts that fit together: the positive space and the negative space.  No two pieces were alike, yet you could take any positive  part and any negative part, and they would fit together to make a cube.  She explained that it was supposed to represent people; we all come from different backgrounds and cultures, but we can always find something in common with another human being.  

Below are some of the cubes formed when two of the pieces are put together.  As you can see, every cube has a different look.  

She said that back when she first finished this project, there were nearly 3,500 pieces!  At that exhibit, people could combine whatever pieces they wanted to make a unique cube.  She took pictures of the people with their cubes.

This artist was very enjoyable to talk with, and she told us to call anytime if we wanted to sit and have a tea, look at the studio again, anything.  I asked for her card, thinking then we'd have all of her information, but her name doesn't appear (and we forgot to ask while inside!).  So I'm hoping the website will be finished shortly, and that her name will be on the site.

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At 7 that afternoon, we sat outside to listen to a group called Ukulele Clan Band; what an enjoyable sound they made!

All of the band members were from Madrid, but they sang their songs in English.  You can listen to their new album, "The Sun" (and download it for FREE) here!  Definitely give them a listen. 

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It was so great to feel some creative energy and inspiration yesterday.  In my daily routine here I'm not often exposed to art, so yesterday was simply wonderful.

If you live in Madrid and missed the event this year, mark your calendars and next spring be on the lookout for the 9th edition of Los Artistas del Barrio.  Don't miss it!