culturemagazine #2 April 2021
Gira Crucis 3
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Bette Smith 9
Museum of Bellas Artes of Valen 8M 24 No Fallas 29 No. 1 | March | 2021 1
Contents
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Evictions 33 No. 1 | March | 2021 p. 2
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s a marked tribute to the show of the 70’s, to its songs, and as an eminently empathetic approach to the figure of Jesus. They develop this version with great doses of humor, although not heretical, since they claim the Nazarene as a revived hippie, but without losing its essence, any aspect of its idiosyncrasy. Each year they perform what they have called the Crucis Tour. With their "salon musical" performing in different venues, espeIn 1975 the musical cially in Holy Week and Jesus Christ Super- Easter, they have added star was premiered phases and songs, the gira in Spain, and the of each year is not the same as any of the previous Caifás Dúo have ones. In fact, no bolus is been carrying out the same as another. Gira a free revision of it Crucis is a living, versatile for 10 years,... and, of course, very funny entity that extrapolates the times of Christ to the present. But perhaps it is the other way around. The fact is that the Gira Crucis has definitely been institutionalized, with its irreverent and fresh high tone. The hour and a half that is on the stage takes place in a friendly and painless way. No. 2 | April | 2021 p. 5
...a
GIRA CRUCIS Dúo Caifás
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B
ette Smith is currently one of the greatest exponents of R'n'B, although she uncompromisingly delves into other styles and genres (Soul, Funk, Soul-Rock, Gospel…). With her usual intrinsic tempest, she performed at the Loco Club of Valencia, within the context of the tour of Europe in 2019, and her voice and her music still resound in the Cap i Casal. The gig was despotically majestic, dismembering what was her first album. Last year, she was undaunted and released the second long play —The Good, the Bad and the Bette— of her with revitalizing pills in September, which may indicate that she will return to tour when the pandemic scenarios allow it. This album can be found among the top three R’n’B released in 2020; Eric Carlton, Patterson Hood, Henry Westmoreland, Matt Patton, Bronson Tew, Luther Dickerson, of bands such as Drive-By Truckers, North Mississippi Allstars and The Black Crowes, and countless musicians with a long and proven career have been involved in it. We are waiting to enjoy the gale that Bette Smith generates with each of her appearances on the platforms of half the world.
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BETTE SMITH Brooklyn (New York)
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hroughout its centennial history, it has been located in different venues, almost always forced to do so by wars and confrontations. Among its collections are paintings, sculptures, drawings, sumptuary arts, archeology or prints. It has works dating from the fourteenth century that reflect the long career of Valencian artists in movements such as Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism and contemporary art, as well as other genres that emerged to undermine the previous ones. Its ownership belongs to the Central Administration, although its management is the responsibility of the regional government, the Generalitat Valenciana. This bicephaly has It is the second most not benefited him, quite the contrary; the understanding has alimportant art gallery ready been complicated with the in Spain; was founded same party governing in both arein 1837. Its origin is re- as, so that, if this has not been the case, the scenarios worsened nolated to the Real Socially, this spectacular Acedemia de Bellas Ar- ticeably. art gallery has never been recogtes San Carlos, from nized as it should, given an unwhich it separated in doubted error of sustained communication over time, and of 1913 openness to the general public. Free entry and mouth-to-mouth may not be enough. This is not how it works. Perhaps it would be useful to begin an in-depth educational dissemination work. In spite of everything, the immense surprise came in mid-March, when the news spread through the media that a German businessman and «collector» of art, resident in Madrid, Hans Rudolf Gerstenmaier, donated to the Museum of Bellas Artes of... València forty-one pictorial works belonging to artists of the Flemish school, whose value transcends the merely incalculable. No one knows or understands the reason for this altruistic action, determined in his will a month before he died a victim of COVID-19. At first, the news could not be better; however, it will be necessary to maintain a certain and proper prudence before everything that can happen in the next days, months or even years. Rodolfo’s past, as he was known familiarly in Spain, is not murky nor does it cease to be, but quite the contrary. He arrived in full Francoist developmentalism, with a «discreet» colony of German residents that concentrated all the nazis protected by the Franco regime.
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MUSEU BELLAS
Valèn
UM OF S ARTES
ncia
One of the great museum and cultural “secrets” of Europe
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8M owever, a large part of the Spanish extreme right denies that violence against women exists for the mere fact of being one; they also deny the Nazi German Holocaust or the atrocities carried out during Franco's fascist dictatorship. Also, every four hours, a woman is raped. The General Council of the Judiciary issued a statement in which it stated that there is evidently gender violence, warning of the risks that denying it entails for women. In Valencia, every first Wednesday of the month, several dozen women gather denouncing sexist terrorism. On March 8 of last year, a massive demonstration was held, Since 2003 (the year in which approximately one hundred thousand people participain which it began to ted, especially, of course, of wobe counted), 1,300 men, but many more men are inwomen have been corporated every year. The murdered by their ex- young womens are specifically partners (gender vio- "guerreras", although the rest of women do a more serene and lence) in Spain equally lacerant work against patriarchy, violence against women and emerging fascist political forces. They showed muscle, all, an unstoppable force. There were similar demonstrations throughout the Spanish territory. In 2021, the restrictions derived from the pandemic forced them to rethink the organization of events for International Women's Day; they convened several concentrations throughout the day, with different perspectives focused on areas especially hostile to women. Success was once again indisputable. However, the feminist struggle annoys more and more every day. Therefore, the number of enemies also grows substantially, although not exclusively among the fachas. But the seed is planted. Feminism no longer acts in a class and gender struggle alone.
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International Women’s Day
FEMINISM IS AT A
WAR #livefreeunited #viveslliuresunides #vivaslibresunidas
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Three generations of feminist activists
NO FA
20
ALLAS
021
"Here burns the heart of a falla" #WEWILLBEBACK
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his year, in reality, there have been no major changes, except that the Fallas world has decided to ignore the prohibitions of the Administration and celebrated some of the events that are normally carried out: offering of flowers (Fallas are festivals eminently religious) and fireworks displays. These festivals also have a strong cultural component, especially in the last three decades; previously, they were at the service of Franco's fascist dictatorship. He was this who imposed the celebration of the Flower Offering, in addition to other festivals. With the arrival of the new politic regime, the Fallas experienced a slow opening, without ever getting rid of that macho brand, for example, that continues to characterize them. On the other hand, some of the Fallas The years 2020 and commissions have worked to provide 2021 have been years their monuments and those events they organize with greater cultural of "No Fallas". In significance, although they are a very 2020, COVID-19 arlow percentage of them. However, rived and prevented they were declared Cultural Heritage emergency decisions of Humanity by UNESCO. It should from being made, so be noted that the Fallas management they were initially sus- bodies are still managed by members very close to far-right ideals, as could pended; later, it was be seen in some incidents that ocdecided to cancel curred during a Valencian nationalist demonstration in 2019. With their defects and virtues, the Fallas have great social support, but there are no shortage of detractors who consider some of the actions carried out weeks before being planted as abusive and, of course, during the four days they remain in the streets and squares of Cap i Casal. In the economic aspect, there are no studies that indicate an exact figure of the amount of euros that they contribute to the GDP; in 2008 an analysis was carried out that calculated that it could be two billion euros. Consequently, it is possible that in the last five years the figure has risen to three billion, driven by the UNESCO declaration, among other variables. This year, the geographical epicenter of the party (Plaza del Ayuntamiento) was open to people, although not to the celebration of the Fallas.
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EVICTIONS Spain
The Spanish administrations are continuing the scourge of evictions. Mariángeles is a 70year-old woman with hardly any economic income, but this doesn’t matter to vulture funds or banks.
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culturemagazine Director Claudia Butxana Editor Antonio Pozo Editor-in-Chief Sly Nell Photo Director Luz García Photography Antonio Pozo Sly Nell Sandra Narváez Emilia Camps Teresa Poma BONITAgency™ Writers Pilar de Skals Ancor Escrich Esteban Tortajada
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No. 2 | April | 2021 p. 38
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