The Artist and its Work, Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Here is a real artist contemplating his drawing at one of those spots specially assigned to painters and caricaturists along Las Ramblas, Barcelona. Nothing like the pleasure of staring at your work with the satisfaction of having created something you feel proud of. It happens with almost everything in life, and certainly, we are here because we like to create stuff and have goals that make us find a place as individuals in society. Of course you create for yourself but you need some recognition for your creation to be valuable. Being an artist many times depends on just that, good reviews. Although, then, there's the real artist, the one with the gift, like, Mozart for example, people that are great simply because they are, and the only thing you can do about it is bow and worship in awe. In other words, there are gifted souls and the rest of mortals. Within the latter, you've got, individuals that try real hard, and come out with a remarkable result and then there is the mediocre kind, divided into those who accept they are and those who regard themselves as artists. Do what you do, your work is of course respectable because is yours but don't expect everybody to like it. But beware of critics that may be part of that mediocre bunch and their snobbish ways, because sometimes genuine art is judged by shortsighted minds and they are really harmful.

Antoni Tapies Foundation, Arago Street 255, Barcelona

Weird places well deserve weird, psychedelic approaches. I have walked past this building a thousand times and a thousand times I haven't been able to take a decent picture. First because you have to stand on the opposite sidewalk of carrer Aragó which is a very wide street, second because it is wedged in between two awful buildings and last but not least because those wires on top, which were conceived by Antoni Tàpies himself do break all the harmony of lines with the beautiful Art Nouveau façade by architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. So I thought, what the heck, I've got to give this a colorful touch. The result expresses not awe as in awesome, but rather as in aw...ful. I realize I am committing sacrilege here by trying to judge the artwork on the roof and the awkward appearance of an artistic sanctuary as it is Fundació Tàpies. In fact it is a magnificent building constructed between 1880 and 1885, one of the earliest samples of Art Nouveau in this part of the city, that breaks up with traditional 19th century eclecticism, introducing elements like iron and exposed brick, the latter evidencing clear Muslim influences. The place held the Montaner i Simon publishing house up to 1981, the most important in its field for decades (120 years of history) that became Antoni Tapies Foundation in 1990, acquiring category of historical monument in 1997. But what to say about Antoni Tàpies i Puig (he will be 87 next December 13, 2010), the incommensurable Catalan painter, sculptor and lithographer besides the fact I don't like the Cloud and Chair, 1990 sculpture on top of the building, well you better find out reading his biography at the official site: Antoni Tàpies Biography (Fundació Antoni Tàpies)

Opera Singer in Barri Gotic, Barcelona

On the quiet streets of Barri Gotic there was this opera singer delighting passerbyes with passionate gesture and a powerful voice.

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images nikon+d70s

Bubblebou Show by Pep Bou - Port Aventura Amusement Park, Salou

Welcome to Bubblebou, that is, one of the bubble shows created by Pep Bou, a unique artist when it comes to creating magical shapes out of common and ephemeral soap bubbles.

The first of my three day stay at hotel El Paso in Port Aventura amusement park (Salou, Tarragona) it was raining cats and dogs so we had to spend our time in indoor shows. Lucky us! My wife told me we were going to the Chinese pavilion to see something called Bubblebou. No idea. There we were, an off voice was reminding us about the usual "don'ts". No food, no cell phones, no nothing...but thanks God they said they just excluded flashes and spared cameras.

So there I went, shooting like mad. Thanks to that I can share this tender moment with you: A girl from the audience, covered by a gargantuan multicolor bubble and the artist, satisfied by his evanescent creation.

Here is a link to Pep Bou's homepage (I couldn't find the name of the man in my photograph who obviously is not Pep but is part of his artistic group).

Magic Bubblebou Show at Port Aventura Amusement Park: Silhouette

Silhouette of a Man Holding Bubble

And now for a totally different picture, ladies and gentlemen I would like to introduce tonight the Bubblebou Show. No, it is not about Chinese silhouettes although it takes place in the China area of Port Aventura Amusement Park.

It is all about bubbles, huge bubbles of impossible shapes that this man behind the screen tames with dexterous and exquisite talent. Please come back tomorrow to know more about Bubblebou and its creator, Pep Bou, the master of bubbles.

Mayday, Mayday! Stop sending tourists up here!

Mime at Tibidabo Amusement Park

Mayday, Mayday! Stop sending tourists up here! - might as well say this funny artist during his short performance at Tibidabo Amusement Park. Of course he didn't say that since he was a mime. 

Tibidabo is always full of visitors on weekends and during summer holidays it is packed with locals and tourists alike as the rest of Barcelona is. 

He was there jumping, dancing, stretching on the floor and tiptoeing after people to dust them or make them look towards an imaginary plane in the skies. 

I am not an expert on costumes so I can only guess that he was disguised in an American army's pilot uniform.

Curtain Call: A Backstage Insight

A backstage insight, this was what I wanted to portray when I captured these two artists before the curtain call. How does it feel when your work is rewarded with a big round of applause? How much time is there behind every performance? Rehearsals, blunders, stress and then the big day arrives. Nerves as usual make their best to ruin your act, your stomach becomes your worst enemy and you feel a sudden rush of fear but little by little your will overcomes your insecurity and you manage to seduce the audience with a great performance. And then you are there behind the curtain. You left the stage too fast maybe. Although it was not enough prize, you wait, still thinking things didn't turn out right, and then...they call you back, they ask for an encore with a standing ovation. How did our two artists feel at that very moment? Take a look at their faces, they speak for themselves.

Absinthe Tête - à - Tête

How odd can a post about Barcelona be? How can you relate every single image you capture on those streets with the city? Well, sometimes it really gets tough. Of course you can always mention the place- carrer Princesa to be exact - and the neighborhood - Barri de La Ribera (next to Barri Gotic) -. But how do you make a liquor store pop up in the middle of the story? I don't know. I just wanted to take a picture of that little devil on the label of an Absinthe bottle, I just wanted the emerald colors of that spirit in my picture. Fortunately, it turned out that Absenta has a lot of history behind, that it originated in Switzerland, that it was some kind of elixir depicted as as an addictive, psychoactive drug in the XIX century and extracted from Absinth Wormwood, a medicinal plant. It became very popular in the Parisian district of Montmartre so it is commonly associated with artists. It was banned in the USA and Europe in the 20s and manufactured again by the end of last century. So you see, it is trendy, you can buy it right now in Barcelona, it was related to art and I was able to show it. I can't believe my luck. I just wanted that little green devil after all!

Update:

Absinthe and its Relationship with Artists

Absinthe is a highly alcoholic distilled spirit that has been associated with many notable artists and writers over the years. With an anise-flavored bitterness and purported psychedelic effects, absinthe has developed a reputation as a mysterious, dangerous, and addictive drink linked to creativity.

The Origins of Absinthe

Absinthe originated in Switzerland in the late 18th century. It is derived from botanicals including the flowers and leaves of Artemisia absinthium ("grand wormwood"), green anise, sweet fennel, and other medicinal herbs. The ingredient wormwood contains thujone, which was believed to be responsible for absinthe's purported effects. Modern scientific analysis has shown the thujone levels in authentic absinthe to be far lower than early estimates and unlikely to cause hallucinations. Nonetheless, the mystique and air of taboo created by these unfounded controversies contributed to absinthe's reputation as an intoxicant for artists and writers.

In the 19th century, absinthe grew in popularity and became ingrained in café culture in France. It was nicknamed "la fée verte" (the green fairy) and often featured in Impressionist paintings. Absinthe's high alcohol content (45–74% ABV) and role as an inexpensive recreational drink contributed to its popularity among young bohemian artists and writers in the late 1800s.

Controversy and Bans

At the turn of the 20th century, absinthe became controversial and was blamed for psychiatry issues, criminal behavior, and corrupting youth. Critics pointed to its frequent consumption by creative misfits as evidence of its potential dangers. The powerful wine industry also spread concerns about absinthe to help curb competition. This led to bans in many European countries starting in the early 1900s.

As mentioned above, Thujone was thought to cause psychedelic effects and was cited as the reason for absinthe's hazards. However, modern analysis shows thujone levels were too low to cause such effects.

Relationship with Artists and Writers

Many influential creative figures of the late 19th and early 20th century in France consumed absinthe, adding to its cultural mystique. Prominent artists like Edgar Degas, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Pablo Picasso depicted absinthe in their works, often focusing on its relationship to bohemian café society. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec famously drank absinthe daily and it served as inspiration for his Postimpressionist paintings of café interiors.

Noted absinthe drinkers among the literary set included Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud, Paul Verlaine, and Ernest Hemingway, who drank it daily while writing in Paris. Many are the paintings that make reference to absinthe. This association of absinthe with avant-garde writers and artists enhanced its perception as a creative elixir.

While many artists openly used absinthe, letting it influence their works, experts today dispute the notion that it has psychedelic properties inspiring unconventional thinking. The effects were likely stupefying rather than mind-opening. However, the aura of illicitness gave absinthe an alluring reputation for writers and artists going against the grain creatively.

Modern Revival and Consumption

Starting in the 1990s, revised EU laws led to a resurgence of absinthe as studies showed it was no more dangerous than other spirits. Traditional distilling methods revived, leading bars and distilleries to sell premium, authentic absinthe. The drink became popular once more, especially among creative communities drawn to its legacy.

Contemporary absintheurs have moved away from the bohemian excesses of the past. While absinthe retains its aura of creativity and decadence, devotees today focus more on savoring its flavors. In parts of France and Switzerland, absinthe rituals include dripping ice water over a sugar cube atop a slotted spoon into the spirit. This gradually dilutes and brings out complex herbal tastes.

Legacy in Art and Culture

Regardless of absinthe's actual effects, its green fairy mystique endures as a symbol of creativity, danger, and early counter-culture. The impassioned artists who embraced it continue to fuel absinthe's cultural legacy. For instance, the play "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" fictionalizes Picasso and Einstein meeting in a Parisian absinthe bar in 1904, discussing genius and creativity.

References to absinthe persist in popular culture today, from movies like Moulin Rouge to paintings, songs, and literature. While regulated and safely consumed now, absinthe's aura of unconventionality pioneered by 19th century artists maintains its allure today. The drink's rich history ensures it endures as a creative muse inspiring continued fascination and works of art.