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ONLY BE BARCELONIAN
Only-Be Barcelonian
Summer Cinema at the Barcelona Verdi
In his strange book The Image Announcement, writer from Samoa Albert Hanover has an emotional recollection, full of depth of melancholy, of the summers of his childhood and adolescence. Due to the somewhat nomadic quality of his life during these years, his parents with odd, mysterious professions, Hanover liked nothing more than to stay in the city for the summer. He loved the way the streets were taken over by the pulse, respiration and rhythm of the sleepy, urban summer months – especially in cities like Madrid (which in august literally becomes a ghost town), where he lived for a few years; cities of unbearable heat. As he felt so at home in sky high temperatures – considering himself to be a naturally lazy person, he felt that the soporific effect that the heat had on most people made them more like him – the summer months brought him an indescribable, almost erotic pleasure, full of sensation, which was only confirmed to him many years later (though, how many years is many?) by the statistic that the most extraordinary things tend to happen in excessive heat. Hanover felt he wanted to live for exceptions; for the breaks and the flaws. In those summers, one of his favourite pastimes was to go to the cinema in the afternoon, scrupulously avoiding the new releases, which were out of bounds during this period of dog days. He frequented, aged 11 or 12, the back to back screenings, and the cinema clubs which were so popular at the time, in search of double shows of B-movies, sci-fi, horror, classic comedy, Marx bros and...
Open Air Cinema in Barcelona, Sala Montjuïc
It´s one of the best summer activities for all cinema lovers, promoted by the Barcelona Council: open air cinema screenings, where you´ll be able to enjoy a selection of the best films of all time and short films, with a picnic and plenty of people! The films begin at 10.15pm sharp and are preceded by the screening of a short film at 10pm. In the next few dates two films were selected and another one, which will coincide with the closing of the festival, will be a surprise. On August 1st the short film ´Todo queda en família´ (It all stays in the family) by Lluís Fabra will be screened, as well as the film ´Still Walking´ (2008) by the Japanese director Hikorazu Koreeda. This film tells the story of a son and a daughter that, after a long time, go back to their parent´s house with their own families. The reason behind this reunion is the commemoration of the tragic death of the eldest son in an accident fifteen years before. Like in all families, love and ill-feeling reign here too. Apparently nothing has changed, they know each other like nobody else does and it all seems to be the same. However, it isn´t. Each one presents small changes that will create peculiar situations. ´Still Walking´ is a very subtle and delicate family drama, which takes place on a summer´s day. For the Oriental film fans, this will be a great surprise. Also, this film was given various awards in different film festivals in Asia and Japan. The screening on August 3rd will be dedicated to the short...
The route of Don Quixote in Barcelona
Did you know that in Barcelona you can visit the Route of Don Quixote? Cervantes situates Don Quixote in Barcelona at the end of the second part of the novel, when our character is defeated on the beach by the White Moon Knight, which is actually the bachelor Samson Carrasco in disguise. If Cervantes was speaking in the mouth of the celebrated hidalgo, now a Knight , what did he see that left him so admired? Let´s take Rocinante the brave horse and accompanied by our dear faithful squire Sancho Panza, start the route of Don Quixote: Midsummer night is just before dawn. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza arrive in Barcelona thru the west entrance (now known as Pla de Palau) led by the famous outlaw Rocaguinarda Perot also known as “Perot Lo Ladre” (he has street dedicated to him, where it says where was hiding in the city). “thru unusual paths they reach the beach in the ancient island of Maians, where today we find the Catalonia Museum of History. This is where today the Barceloneta begins and where Don Quixote was defeated, which indicates that Cervantes wrote the end of his great novel of chivalry here. In fact, you can visit the Casa de Cervantes (XVI century building in Passeig de Colom, 2). In silence, listening to the waves, they await for the arrival of the day, Antonio Moreno, a friend of the bandit, welcomes them in his house, “it was large and welcoming.” We do not know the exact location, but we know that it was near the harbor, probably in the carrer Ample (called so...
Rosa Crux, Narsilion and Trobar de Morte in Barcelona
Rosa Crux can always be relied upon to deliver a top quality, intimate gig, as a French band who stand out for their innovative, investigative approach to music. The art and language of performance are themes which have become an integral part of the group´s unique identity. Rosa Crux was born in 1986, when Olivier Tarabo and Claude Feeny got together for an artistic musical project which could be described as “gothic medieval ritual” – though as it was so much more besides, it is difficult to classify; not least because they make many of the instruments used in their compositions and live shows themselves. Another characteristic of the “Rosa Crux identity” is that their pieces are sung in Latin, and are mainly inspired by ritualistic texts from the 18th century, and myths of cannibalism and alchemy which the band have investigated and decided to put to music, and bring to the public. Though their four albums may seem like few, given how many years the band has been around, they are all complete, rounded works of art; the products of lengthy periods of research. I would highly recommend each and every one of them, and though they may not be to everyone´s tastes and ears, I´d also add that once you hear them, you are either instantly drawn into the magic, and history of the band or not all – there is certainly no middle ground with Rosa Crux. Their Barcelona show is on the 23rd of July – and comes all the more recommended as they will be accompanied by local band Trobar de Morte, who have...
Cortázar at the Caixa Forum in Barcelona
“Verba volant, scripta Manent,” said the Latins: Words fly but the writing remains on time. Among the incredible proliferation of texts published today, which in the most of the cases only remain few weeks in bookstores, there are few writers who manage to approve the test of time. Today, apparently, even the written words fly. One of the writers who certainly knew how to remain in time is Julio Cortazar, whose literary work (but also philosophical) is still read, discovered and loved. His novel “Rayuela” (Hopscotch), published in 1963, took long time to achieve the success it deserved in Europe, but is now considered one of the best literary works of the century. In addition, Julio Cortazar is known for “62 Modelo para armar” (62 Model Kit), “Libro de Manuel” (Manuel´s book) and an endless series of stories that often achieved perfection of the style. On the 27th of July, the media section of Caixa Forum will show an audiovisual interpretation of some stories of this great writer, in which literature is renewed with dances, acting and live music. The four artists who created this piece of live narrative are: Alba G. Corral, Kowalski, Rafaël and Soni Riot, with music by Escort Service. Alba G. Corral (Madrid, 1977) develops and uses visual programming code to create visual tools – live – abstract digital landscape. Co-organizer of the Femelek festival also participated in the Sonar Festival, Primavera Sound and LEV. Kowalski is a young DJ and producer who lives and works in Berlin and together with Soni Riot and Rafel, create digital video animation, that expose an accurate criticism of...Restaurant El Dento
El Dento has a €30 gourmet menu for lunch and a gastronomic menu at 47 € at night. There is also a great summer terrace.
Hipnotik Festival 2011 in Barcelona
A new era begins, says the slogan of the Hipnotik Festival 2011 of Barcelona. This interesting proposal seeks to break the summer concerts records with a proposal that exceeds 13 hours of Hip Hop music and art in the scenarios of the Centre for Contemporary Culture in Barcelona, ??which will be held on July 9. Few things are as attractive as music, perhaps it is the ancestral spirit that leads us to communicate with the body, the environment and to free the mind for the cathartic process of listening and expressing the sounds with movement. These reasons make of Hipnotik 2011 the perfect festival because the music integrates a whole range of art and dance in the competitions, battles, brakedance, exhibitions, graffiti, graphic design and audiovisual. Catching up with social networking, the Hipnotik 2011 is open to participation through the Internet and prepares its platform to make this version of the festival interactive. For those who want to earn some euros with their talent for Hip Hop, Hipnotik 2011 has an award of 2,000 euros to be granted at the end of the MC Battle to be held in the Festival. In addition, they will have to go on stage to prove their quality to the renowned MC. For those worried about global warming and pollution due to excess of waste and their taste for art takes them to dream of other worlds, they will be able to approach the recycling urban art exhibition organized by Hipnotik along with Drap-Art. Drap-Art is a non-profit association that works and promotes ecological awareness through exhibitions and art workshops with recycled items,...
Picasso: Feasting on Paris, exhibition in Barcelona
What would life be like without Picasso? Or as Jonathan Richman would say: Well some people try to pick up girls /And get called assholes / This never happened to Pablo Picasso / He could walk down your street / And girls could not resist his stare and / So Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole. So, the Original Gangster, the Pimp Daddy of last century´s vanguard returns to Barcelona for a powerful new exhibition. Organised by the Picasso Museum and the Amsterdam Van Gogh Museum, the show presents the evolution of the artist, from his arrival in Paris in 1900, where he encountered the colourful art community of the time – up to 1907, when he was crowned the main face of the Paris scene. The word revolution was in the air – and everyone knew its meaning. It was time when Dada reigned supreme, and the young surrealists were having problems – not to mention the almost “romantic” trio Buñuel, Lorca, and Dalí. If nowadays we don´t really refer to people as “geniuses” in any form of art or format – back then, the word “genius” was frequently used to refer to original practioners of fine art. Of course, Picasso was a genius, the extent of his originality, and the barriers which were broken have placed him at the foundation of modern and contemporary art. However, nothing is coincidental, and it´s evident that the direct contact that Picasso had with the Parisian community would go on to be essential and formative. He was exposed to new pictoral techniques, and new forms of representation. In this sense,...
Barcelona 1900. The Pearl of the Mediterranean
1900 is a complex fabric of cultural dimensions that converge at an intersection we call the end of the century. In a context of heterogeneity of thought a great eclectic and syncretic movement will erupt. The subject becomes a fragmented crowd. This metamorphosis of the individual is the result of a change in the environment: the oppression exercised by the walls in a rapidly growing society created a new urban fabric, the construction of a modern city. A public announcment released on June 27th, 1843 said: Bring Down the Walls!. This was the beginning of the demolition of a barrier that oppressed and stifled a city that was crying out to expand and breathe. Undoubtedly, this will mark withour a doubt a turning point in the history of Barcelona, the changing of an old town to a big industrial city. From this moment, the disappearance of the old medieval walls, the construction of the “Eixample” the 1867 (designed by Ildefonso Cerdà) and the annexation of several independent municipalities the 1897 (Gracia, Sants, Sant Martí de Provençals …) Barcelona became a art center in which urban development, industrial, commercial and artistic movement converge In a complex society, the bourgeoisie from Barcelona surpasses the binomial proletariat. The powerful families of the capital will be involved in the industrial revolution, relying on modernity and progress, to take control of the political and economic power. This enrichment is unsustainable, creating huge inequalities in the working class, soon to fight for their rights. The beautification of the city was growing, but unfortunately the social differences were also becoming more noticeable. The luxurious downtown part...
The Guell Palace in Barcelona reopens its doors to the public
In the cyclical dance of time, undoubtedly, there have been more prudish and puritan times in the Western World than nowadays. However, it is also true that not long ago, there have been incomparably freer and more permissive times regarding moral issues. This makes us feel as victims of a moral deterioration that is hardly bearable. While permissive times usually coincide with great intelligence and creativity explosions, puritan times coincide with times in which stupidity seems to be the dominant paradigm. Obviously, intelligence, creativity, good taste or style do not disappear from the face of the Earth. They just give the impression of being left aside from time to time. People get used to stupidity, absurdity and the lack of ideas in the political discourse –In fact, it seems to be dominated by lazy students who did not even have the honor of being the last ones of the class-. Also, the media, work and mass culture might make people end up forgetting there is another way to live, think, behave and govern. For example, there are constant negative comments about Amy Winehouse’s life on the edge. People sometimes forget that it is very difficult to expect moving and tender songs from a tormented artist who is surrounded by nicotine, drugs and love problems. People just forget that for some artists, their direct communication with pain is an essential part of their extraordinary works. It is as if we expected that artists with hard lives like Billie Holidays have a perfect like just by going to the gym every day and by reading self-improvement books (As if self improvement...Promotions
