[Every drum found was burned]
Casa Banchel
Co curated with Lebora Devy
A group exhibition of the off site ARCO Feria de Madrid circuit (2019) with Perú as guest country.
We opted for a cross cultural proposal as it often happens that guests of foreign countries get alienated in the galleries and institutional spaces when invited to participate. They don’t get to meet and mingle with local artists and practicioners in the haste of building up and down their works. We thought to take enable the opportunity for our artists to work and showcase side by side and make new aqcuaintances with artists in different disciplines and stages of their practice from both Perú and Spain.
Graphic Design: Javier Rodríguez Fernández
A
rtistas peruanos y españoles se reúnen en Casa Banchel a reflexionar sobre las dinámicas de intercambio entre ambas tierras, y los lenguajes y vertientes expresivas sobre los cuales establecen su práctica. Tomando como punto de partida la historia del cajón, los artistas convocados presentan obra revisada y/o específica como reacción a este hito y nexo cultural.
EL CAJÓN es un instrumento de percusión oriundo de la costa sur del Perú cuya fecha de origen se aproxima entre los siglos XVI al XIX, cuando todo tambor hallado en posesión de los esclavos africanos fue quemado para prevenir su uso como medio de comunicación o en rituales. La necesidad de expresión musical los llevó a reciclar contenedores de mercancía, y encolando seis planchas de madera balsa se creó el cajón: un tambor disfrazado de asiento.
En 1977 de gira por el Perú, Paco de Lucía se encuentra con Caitro Soto y su cajón, regresa con este instrumento a su país natal, y lo introduce de manera permanente al flamenco
ENG
Peruvian and Spanish artists gather at Casa Banchel to reflect on the dynamics of exchange between both lands, and the languages and expressive branches on which they establish their practice. Taking the history of the cajón as a starting point, the invited artists present revised and/or specific works as a reaction to this cultural milestone and connection. THE CAJÓN is a percussion instrument originating from the southern coast of Peru, with its origin dating between the 16th and 19th centuries, when any drum found in the possession of African slaves was burned to prevent its use for communication or ritual purposes. The need for musical expression led them to recycle containers of merchandise, and by gluing six planks of balsa wood, the cajón was created: a drum disguised as a seat. In 1977, on a tour in Peru, Paco de Lucía met Caitro Soto and his cajón, took this instrument back to his home country, and introduced it permanently to flamenco.
EL CAJÓN es un instrumento de percusión oriundo de la costa sur del Perú cuya fecha de origen se aproxima entre los siglos XVI al XIX, cuando todo tambor hallado en posesión de los esclavos africanos fue quemado para prevenir su uso como medio de comunicación o en rituales. La necesidad de expresión musical los llevó a reciclar contenedores de mercancía, y encolando seis planchas de madera balsa se creó el cajón: un tambor disfrazado de asiento.
En 1977 de gira por el Perú, Paco de Lucía se encuentra con Caitro Soto y su cajón, regresa con este instrumento a su país natal, y lo introduce de manera permanente al flamenco
ENG
Peruvian and Spanish artists gather at Casa Banchel to reflect on the dynamics of exchange between both lands, and the languages and expressive branches on which they establish their practice. Taking the history of the cajón as a starting point, the invited artists present revised and/or specific works as a reaction to this cultural milestone and connection. THE CAJÓN is a percussion instrument originating from the southern coast of Peru, with its origin dating between the 16th and 19th centuries, when any drum found in the possession of African slaves was burned to prevent its use for communication or ritual purposes. The need for musical expression led them to recycle containers of merchandise, and by gluing six planks of balsa wood, the cajón was created: a drum disguised as a seat. In 1977, on a tour in Peru, Paco de Lucía met Caitro Soto and his cajón, took this instrument back to his home country, and introduced it permanently to flamenco.
Curatorial text (as seen on the flyer/poster) by me
Photos by Amalia Wakonigg
Video credits
1 Speak To Me intallation by Clara Montoya (Video by Fernando Valentí)
2 Con la mano levantá (Coutesy of the artist)
Works