Kisses and whims

Besos y caprichos (Kisses and whims) is an artistic creation project that interprets the series of cards made and edited by Francisco de Goya (1746-1828) under the name of Caprichos (Whims) in 1799. In his plastic speech Goya judged and charged at the society of his time; from the abuse of women and treating them as objects –slaves of their gender condition and left into the hands of a male chauvinist society that denigrate them in all times–, to how poorly the educated people are educated and the voluntary or involuntary human trade.  Also attacked scathingly against the abuses committed by religious orders and the Inquisition, he denounced corruption and the lack of preparation of the power elites, or reported the despicable and reckless attitude of rulers.

My work, in view of the current situation of crisis we suffer from, have consisted of creating a series of compositions that update the cards and contents of Caprichos, using scandals and improper behaviors that took part in this actual society we live in.

Formally, the Besos y Caprichos collection (2014-2018) is constituted by wooden collage-boxes, as if they were window displays or puppets shows, themed with objects found here and there. In any case, in every one of them, they include as a referent element the cause and title given by the author to the respective Capricho. The approx measures of the pieces are about 30cm high, 20cm wide and 10cm deep.

Another of the ingredients are the bans that the poet and novelist Danilo Kiš (1935-1989) proposed in Consejos a un joven escritor (Advice to a young writer). In this essay –popularized in Spain by the Sunday magazine El País in March 1980–, the writer provides to any writer apprentice a series of ideas and concepts that will be useful and will help him to forge a critic and independent personality before the society and the elites.