ELECTION(S)
Digital Graphics, Political / Social, Computer graphics, 40x30cm
This drawings, extracted from the wider series TRANSITION(S), consists of a tryptic of vectorial drawings, traced from photographs appeared in Spanish newspapers during the elections of 1977, the first held after 41 years. This is one of the milestones of the period known as ‘La Transición’, the transitional time from dictatorship to democracy. This problematic period brought new elections and a constitution after 36 years of dictadorship and a civil war. The reformist sectors of the regime and the new generations of the left led together a change that was not smooth - some 500 peopled died in this period of political convulsion that culminated with a frustrated coup.
Political pragmatism involved forgetfulness and compromise – at the expense of unresolved deeds and a divided society. But in the decades that followed the dynamics of economical progress succeeded and the narration of the Transition became the originary myth of the contempo- rary Spain. A model taught in universities, but also a totem in the political and social arena – critique or revision became anathema. Only nowadays, nursed by economic and institutional crisis, this unresolved heritage has become undeniable.
In my approach to this period I use photographs, physical documents; yet the impulse that fosters the series is reacting to their dimension of mythi- cal symbols. The same way that History is written concealing the acciden- tal, the marginal, the disempowered, a graphic history will show key figures and events, while neglecting silenced suffering and unrest. My impulse found embodiment in tracing: a handcraft and clumsy technique that is nonetheless rendered as perfectly algorithmic forms when using a computer instead of a pencil. I approach this near past with my hands but the rendering reflects my difficulty to tackle or criticize the very roots of my historical identity, that has been designed by vectors of politics.
Each image is printed on inkjet at a size of 13x18 cm and framed in white frame with white passé-par-tout at a size of 40x55 cm
Political pragmatism involved forgetfulness and compromise – at the expense of unresolved deeds and a divided society. But in the decades that followed the dynamics of economical progress succeeded and the narration of the Transition became the originary myth of the contempo- rary Spain. A model taught in universities, but also a totem in the political and social arena – critique or revision became anathema. Only nowadays, nursed by economic and institutional crisis, this unresolved heritage has become undeniable.
In my approach to this period I use photographs, physical documents; yet the impulse that fosters the series is reacting to their dimension of mythi- cal symbols. The same way that History is written concealing the acciden- tal, the marginal, the disempowered, a graphic history will show key figures and events, while neglecting silenced suffering and unrest. My impulse found embodiment in tracing: a handcraft and clumsy technique that is nonetheless rendered as perfectly algorithmic forms when using a computer instead of a pencil. I approach this near past with my hands but the rendering reflects my difficulty to tackle or criticize the very roots of my historical identity, that has been designed by vectors of politics.
Each image is printed on inkjet at a size of 13x18 cm and framed in white frame with white passé-par-tout at a size of 40x55 cm
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