Why? Palau Robert, Barcelona, 2018
Humans are capable of greatness, no doubt. Unfortunately, we are also capable of the most despicable of acts.
Both are on display now at Palau Robert (entrance is free) in Barcelona, and it’s worth a visit.
The two exhibits? Read on, oh intrepid one…
The Joyful and Happy (On exhibit through January 20, 2019)
“Patufet On Ets? showcases the incredible creative work of Aureli Capmany (1968-1954), musician, actor, singer, story-teller, toy and game expert, writer, puppeteer, teacher, activist, thinker, joker–and even basket-maker.
I am always very impressed by how museum exhibitions are prepared in Barcelona–they tend to be extremely professional with amazing attention to detail, and this one is no exception, although it is confined to one smaller room apart from the actual Palau Robert.
Ah, those wonderfully-weird words from Capmany’s most famous children’s tale…
“Patufet, where are you?” cry his worried parents. The extremely tiny tot answers, “In the stomach of the ox, where it is warm and dry. When the ox farts, Patufet will pop out!” (You can read the whole happy story in English HERE. And, yes, ´tis true, Catalans have a definite scatologic tendency.)
Patufet, #2, Barcelona, 2018
Patufet, #3, Barcelona, 2018
The Tragic and Sad (On exhibit through February 10, 2019)
Creadors de consciència. 40 fotògrafs compromesos, a collection of photojournalistic work from trouble spots around the world from 40 different photographers. This one will certainly twist your emotions (how can photographs be so beautiful yet so horrifying?) and force you to ask the perrenial existential question, “Why?” Well, as Thomas Hobbes wrote: “Life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”, and that is unfortunately still true of large swaths of humanity across the globe today, and the images make this quite clear.
This is one of the best photographic exhibits I have seen.
Creators of Conscience, #1. Palau Robert, Barcelona, 2018
Creators of Conscience, #2. Palau Robert, Barcelona, 2018
Creators of Conscience, #3. Palau Robert, Barcelona, 2018
Yes, go to both to be witness to the highs and lows of the all-too-Human Rat Race.
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