Momix, Mexican & Lounge Bar

Wicked Madrid! So many plans, so little time. Or then again, maybe not.

As my dearest Charlie Brown so wisely taught me, “enjoy life and those around you” (not in those words exactly, but he leads through example more than he does through words…)

So, off I go to a Wednesday night plan, which outlooked short and promising. In the end, it became a “politician-night”, i.e., fulfilling only half the promises. The good news is that delivered the best one of the two (the quality of the show, that is).

1. FEELING INTELECTUAL - We went to see MOMIX’s “Sun Flower Moon” – a theatre/dance performance act @ Teatro Albérniz, near Puerta del Sol. What can I say…an amazing spectacle, brought to you by an astonishingly good dancer group, mysterious yet simple visual effects, and a matching soundtrack. This sufficed to get the audience in trance during the show and euphoric at the end of it, discussing the physical limitations that made the impossible seem real.

2. FEELING HUNGRY - The show had left us (me & a few other intellectual wanna-bes) with our stomachs roaring. Being in the centre of the city, within a walking range you have great variety …of tapas! Our rebellion had no LIMITS! We went to the Mexican LA MORDIDA. Great spot, with highlights being: nachos con queso y guacamole, calabacín relleno, fajín con pollo…con sangria!

3. FEELING GROOVY – Laydown was the place to be. White lounge, white beds, white people, reddish atmosphere. One drink to the sound of music, one “hola, encantada” to the DJ, one night well spent.

Total: A great plan for a Wednesday night.

El libro de los abrazos

(...)
Sueñan las pulgas con comprarse un perro y sueñan los nadies con salir de pobres, que algún mágico día llueva de pronto la buena suerte, que llueva a cántaros la buena suerte; pero la buena suerte no llueve ayer, ni hoy, ni mañana, ni nunca, ni en lloviznita cae del cielo la buena suerte, por mucho que los nadies la llamen y aunque les pique la mano izquierda, o se levanten con el pie derecho, o empiecen el año cambiando de escoba.
Los nadies: los hijos de nadie, los dueños de nada.
Los nadies: los ningunos, los ninguneados, corriendo la liebre, muriendo la vida, jodidos, rejodidos:
Que no son, aunque sean.
Que no hablan idiomas, sino dialectos.
Que no profesan religiones, sino supersticiones.
Que no hacen arte, sino artesanía.Que no practican cultura, sino folklore.
Que no son seres humanos, sino recursos humanos.Que no tienen cara, sino brazos.
Que no tienen nombre, sino número.
Que no figuran en la historia universal, sino en la crónica roja de la prensa local.
Los nadies, que cuestan menos que la bala que los mata.

(...)

Eduardo Galeano (Uruguay, 1940)

The problem with labelling

Labelling. Something we do every day... "That man has got to be stupid", "All rich kids are superfluous and empty"; "Look at how that woman dresses...She's definitely a slut!" (the last one is my favorite, I confess...)
You tend to think that its harmless. Nasty but harmless. And it is, most of the times, and in most of the situations at least. There are always some example that proves you otherwise.

Take the gentleman of the paintings - Amadeo de Souza Cardoso. Born in 1887, this humble-rooted portuguese man, studied and dedicated his life to painting. Well, according to those who know better, it was more than painting...He was a visionary, that sought to integrate in his work the inspiring art of his colleagues and even friends - Modigliani, Brancusi, Juan Gris, etc. He was a very special "futurist" embedding in his art, cubist, expressist and even fauvist influences...assimilating all and belonging to none. At the peak of his short career he shared the exhibition spotlight with great art names such as that of Picasso (!)

The misfortune knocked on his door with, of course, labelling. After one if his exhibitions in the US, where some of his unorthodox artworks were displayed, an art critic (yes, one of those species that can dictate the artists' future pretty much like Cesaer, with the rule of thumb) classified or labelled as cubist.

Soon, others would follow this opinion and fail to understand the vanguarde in his life, work, paintings. Together with political uncertainty and a fatal disease, this contributed to Amadeo's short yet brilliant career.

He did at 31.

P.s. Those who can, pls visit the Amadeo Souza Cardoso Gulbienken exhibition @ Lisbon. And if you can tag along a guided tour, even better. You get to learn interesting things about the man.