1.12.10

Archifossils

Living in Valencia, I've noticed a lot of empty, dilapidated , or torn-down buildings. Coupled with the local custom of siesta, where most shops close in the afternoon, it often feels like walking through a ghost town. Realizing that the deterioration of local architecture has a lot to do with the national economic crisis (unemployment in Spain is around 20%, and virtually no new housing is being constructed), the impressions that these ghost buildings have left on their neighbours are a sort of symbol of the crumbling economy.





Bringing the texture and discoloration of these "fossils" into a more stylized, graphic form, their power as symbols becomes more apparent. I feel that they are not just symbols of an economic downturn, but also of lives lived, romance, and potential. This aspect of romance or nostalgia has opened up a lot of room for fantasy, which I've pursued in a playful, illustrative treatment. And I'm still playing...



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