Aïda Gómez

Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side, because it´s fake

The festival Ms Artville chose “Morgen” (Tomorrow) as the topic for this year’s edition. My contribution was this huge roller that is painting green the dried grass of the festival area.

The spark for this project is something I´ve read on the news: some chinese workers from municipal landscaping department were filmed as they painted the grass with a fluorescent green paint. Apparently this is a very common technique in many other parts of the world with drought issues. I found interesting how the water problem can be masked. Of course, we can continue painting the nature, but a forest doesn´t develop in that way.

I would like to thank Rudi from Urbanartshit for the invitation and the curatorial support, Robert for all his good ideas and help, Tom and Max for their hard work on wood and metal, Didi for helping me with the paint and Bona for the pictures and the good vibes.

The installation will be on display at Ms Artville and Ms Dockville festival in Hamburg 🇩🇪

Suspension of small particles of equality

Violet is the color of feminism, although nobody knows for sure the origin of this association. One theory states that if feminism is the equality between men/blue and women/pink, the equal mixture of both colours inevitably leads to violet.

There is another historical version that links this color with the feminist movement that is based on the events that took place in a textile factory in the United States in 1908, when the workers of the Cotton New York company went on strike to demand their right to join the unions, demand better wages, request a shorter working day and demonstrate their rejection of child labor. The owner of the company ended the protest dramatically: setting fire to the building, which caused the death of the 129 women who were locked in the factory.

The story tells how the employees were working with violet fabrics, hence the color prevailed as a symbol. Witnesses claimed that the smoke that was coming out of the factory painted the sky with that tone and could even appreciated that from kilometers away.

For the MAU festival of Rocaumbert I made a purple smoke resurface from different points of the Rocaumbert factory.

Thanks to all the Rocaumbert team and Rocio Domínguez for the inspiration.

Pictures and videos by Darío Cobacho and Gisel Noè.

Optical illusions dates back to Ancient Greece times, and even today in the digital age, they continue captivating us.

The scanimation or the Colin Ord effect is an optical illusion generated by combining an image in which visual fragments of a composition are hidden, and a grid of parallel vertical lines. When a horizontal displacement occurs between them, an illusion of movement is generated.

The doors of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Valencia are a perfect support to present this optical illusion. I chose a cat and a bird because they are the only two species that still live with humans on the campus.

Thanks to the curators Darío Cobacho and Juan Peiró and the entire Poliniza team, especially Irene Fornés, for her technical support.

Video by Fernando Epelde

Ramiro Maeztu center -formerly a school and currently a senior center and social services- it’s located in the vicinity of an emblem Madrid suburb: Zarzaquemada in Leganes. Around it there is a semi- pedestrian public area designed for rest and contemplation for the users of the place.

For some reason -perhaps the sedimentary superposition of different strata of urban furnishings- the area has a wide range of types of benches that awakes the imagination of the passer-by. Sometimes it seems that its disposition invites to different uses: benches to think, to relax, to chat or to read…

Ramón Gomez de la Serna said that benches are disillusions, but we live in a time which, however, seem to illusion you, appearing in an evil and strategic way in different corners of our city, even altering their traditional shape for that to be impossible to stretch completely over them in search of rest.

The hugs benches return to this street furniture its original function, which has led many lovers to write their name on the wood of their backs with their knives: the reminder that the public belongs to us and that the cities shelter, cares and offer rest to those who habit them. Because, as Eduardo Galeano says in his “ Book of Hugs”: “ The system, which doesn’t feed, doesn’t love either: it condemns many to hunger for bread and many more condemns the hunger for hugs”.

❤️ This project wouldn’t have been possible without the great support of the District Board of Zarzaquemada, Jorge, Madrid Street Art Project, Leandro, Nacho and Fer.

El centro Ramiro de Maeztu -anteriormente un colegio y, actualmente, un centro de mayores y de servicios sociales- se ubica en las inmediaciones de un barrio periférico emblemático de Madrid: Zarzaquemada en Leganés. A su alrededor se extiende una zona pública semi-peatonal ideada para el descanso y la contemplación de los usuarios del lugar.

Por algún motivo -quizás la superposición sedimentaria de distintos estratos de mobiliarios urbanos- la zona posee una extensa gama de tipos de banco que despiertan la imaginación del viandante. A veces parece que su disposición invita a diferentes usos: bancos para pensar, para relajarse, para charlar o para leer…

Ramón Gómez de la Serna decía que los bancos son desengañadores, pero vivimos una época en la que, sin embargo, parecen engañarnos, apareciendo de un modo malévolo y estratégico en distintos rincones de nuestra ciudad con el único fin de evitar el descanso de los que no tienen techo, alterando incluso su forma tradicional para que sea imposible el estirarse por completo sobre ellos en busca de reposo.

Los banco de abrazos devuelven a este mobiliario urbano su función original, la que ha llevado a tantos enamorados a escribir su nombre a punta de navaja en las tablas de sus respaldos: el recordarnos que lo público nos pertenece y que las ciudades acogen, refugian y ofrecen descanso a los que las habitan. Porque, como dice Eduardo Galeano en su “Libro de los abrazos”: “El sistema, que no da de comer, tampoco da de amar: a muchos los condena al hambre de pan y a muchos más condena al hambre de abrazos”.

❤️ Este proyecto no habría sido posible sin el gran apoyo de la Junta de Distrito de Zarzaquemada, Jorge, Madrid Street Art Proyect, Leandro, Nacho y Fer.

📸 Guillermo de la Madrid

Everyone need human contact. However, this interaction is changing with the new technologies and it is not clear if these development serves to approach us or to distance us. The fingers composing this mural are used to handle our smartphone, to represent our uniqueness as individuals or to touch someone. Each and every one of these gestures become a powerful tool if we learn how to use them wisely.

My mural for the International Public Art Festival in Cape Town (South Africa) was a collaborative work with the Salt River community: I invited all the neighbours to leave their fingerprints to write HUMAN CONTACT on the wall.

With the support of Acción Cultural Española

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*With the support of ARE Holland.

Esta galleta de la fortuna contiene un papelito con nuestro destino.

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*Con el apoyo de ARE Holland.

Egoísta

Festival Rolling Culture Cuenca (España)

Find the differences

Festival Cultura en la Calle de Rivas (Madrid)

“Find the differences” is an excellent exercise to develop visual perception and improve our ability to observe. This work recovers this popular game and takes it to a public support, such as billboards, so that it becomes a game suitable for all audiences and openly enjoyable.

Thanks to Belén from Rivas Cultura and Madrid Street Art Project for the support!

Mr Red & Mr Green

The introduction of Mr Red and Mr Green reignites our awareness encouraging a new take on a basic act. The ability to draw attention to otherwise routine and mundane acts such as crossing the road allows people to see the world differently, to engage with one another and form a cohesive social unit.

Mr Red and Mr Green help members of the public see things from a different perspective. While very entertaining, the purpose is to help us realize there is always something to see, something to be aware of and opportunity to connect with those around us even in the most basic of places or routine tasks. The environment surrounding us is full of amazing things but if we become stuck in a routine way of living we tend to live life with blinkers on. Mr Red and Mr Green help us remember to remain aware and to find the joy and connections in everything we do.

Starring Angela Canez and Xavier Paes

Music, camera and edition Fernando Epelde

Directed by Aïda Gómez

Porto 2018

Thirst

Madrid is famous for its decorative fountains, but where are the drinking fountains?

Project made thanks to C.A.L.L.E. Lavapiés, organized by Madrid Street Art Project.

C.A.L.L.E. Lavapiés, organized by Madrid Street Art Project, invited me to transform the urban furniture. Lavapiés is a good example of good coexistence based on multiculturalism, but in this neighbourhood, the air is polluted and there is a lack of green areas.