Persianes Lliures Madrid — bringing the legal-walls initiative to Madrid
Madrid
16.1.2011
Faced with the legal obstacles Barcelona City Council put in the way of the Persianes Lliures initiative, the platform paused for a moment to explore other options. The proposal to bring the initiative to Madrid was accepted, and it proved that urban art is far from a negligible tool for bringing a neighbourhood to life. The action, carried out with the support of the newspaper Somos Malasaña, was a notable success in this popular Madrid neighbourhood. A total of 130 shops handed over their shutters so that 110 urban artists, of 10 different nationalities, could bring the neighbourhood to life with their work.
Beyond the success in the number of participating artists, the huge turnout of people who came to enjoy the event was also striking, as was the media coverage it received in the country’s leading newspapers. Likewise, the attention it received online was also remarkable, both in the comments from passers-by surprised by the initiative and from those who, on their own initiative, photographed the pieces and shared them online.
So, the day, which was intense and ran from nine in the morning to nine at night, closed with a renewed conviction that the platform was on the right path, and that it would keep working to make days like this one possible in the city where our urban art association was born.
In the video, Persianes Lliures in Malasaña: 100 shutters, 100 people. It explains how it works —shopkeepers lend the shutter, anyone downloads the permit from the website— and why they left Barcelona: «if you can't paint in Barcelona, we go elsewhere». The criticism is here too: sign-painters who see it as free competition.
The video in text (abridged) (translated from Spanish)7 min 44 s
An artistIt seems to me that it is when there is no commercial exchange that things can work. When there is commercial exchange, everything starts to get tainted and other complications appear that have nothing to do with the painting.
The sign-paintersThey are taking our work away with these things they're doing. I turned up the other day and he told me: «but why would I pay you 300 euros if they're going to do this for free?».
The reportGood morning. We are in the Malasaña neighbourhood, it is half past eleven. There are 100 shutters and 100 people. Let's see what they paint for us.
RebobinartPersianes Lliures was born in the Guinardó neighbourhood, out of the lack of spaces for people who want to paint. How it works is very simple: shopkeepers lend us the shutter so that we can pass it on to other people.
Anyone who wants to paint signs up on the website, looks for the city, the street and the neighbourhood where they want to paint, selects the shutter and downloads a permit. With that permit they can go and paint whatever they like on it.
We decided that if you can't paint in Barcelona, we go elsewhere; and here we are. The idea was also to expand this, because the shortage of spaces is surely not Barcelona's alone but that of many cities. Some quarters have liked the initiative and some have not. That's where we are.
Do you consider yourself an urban artist or a graffiti writer?
An artistHonestly I think it is the same thing. A graffiti writer because I love graffiti, going out and doing it; and an urban artist because I like painting and having my things seen in the street.
I'm an illustrator and graphic designer, and let's say I'm a fun, outgoing, cheerful person; so what I like whenever I paint is to put in something likeable, pleasant, so that whoever walks past above all laughs. And it is always making a point.
What I like most is that people see the things I make, that they aren't shut away in a museum for four people to see by paying. Here everyone sees it. The more traditional art world is too ossified and too shut up in galleries; art right now has to be far more open.
An artistVan Gogh said the ideal would be for artists to be paid by the State. If I can make a living from it, because it also benefits others, I do; and if I have to do it for free, I also love drawing and painting in the street, wherever that is. I think painting is what matters; free or not, we'll see at the time.
The reportIt has been genuinely enjoyable because there have been so many artists: the street was like an open-air museum.
Abridged version: direct quotes are kept; repetitions, overlapping speech and passages unrelated to the project are left out.
In the video, voices from the street at Persianes Lliures Madrid: choosing where you paint yourself, right in the city centre, with shopkeepers who agreed to it. «Coming here and bringing your brush into the centre of Madrid is a real gift.» And a reaction to Barcelona's ban: «They ban everything, it's the fashion. But they'll never beat us.»
The video in text (abridged) (translated from Spanish)2 min 24 s
A local residentFrom my point of view it's pretty good: you choose the spot where you want to paint yourself. And right in the centre of Madrid, with the shopkeepers on board. I think it's pretty good.
Do people ask about the initiative?
A local residentI'd say yes. People have already come by: what a shame, let's see if we can come another day. And a lot of people will want theirs painted.
An artistIt's brilliant coming here and bringing your brush into the centre of Madrid: it's a real gift. And you get to see your friends: four brilliant days.
What do you make of these shutters being banned in Barcelona?
An artistIt's just one more thing among everything else there. They ban everything, it's the fashion. But they'll never beat us.
Another artistIt's the best, I really like it. This event is great.
Abridged version: direct quotes are kept; repetitions, overlapping speech and passages unrelated to the project are left out.
