Last week we spent 2 nights in Valencia during their famous festival, Las Fallas. Groups of people have created dozens of statues, made of wood, paper mache, paint, and maybe other materials. But they look like things you would see at Disneyland, very elaborate and exaggerated.
Some of these figures are HUGE- several stories tall! some are closer to life size. In the last 2 photos we watched a team do final assembly on a smaller set of figures, and I caught a glimpse of the plan they were working from. They take an enormous amount of work, creativity, and probably money.
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. . . And now they are all burned up! Because on the last day of this festival. At midnight, they set every single one of these statues on fire, stuffing them with explosive firecrackers and celebrating as they turn into fire and then charred messes. (we were not in town for this part of the festival!)
I'm thinking about this as an artist, and as a follower of Jesus. It amazes me that people take such pride and joy in making something that will be seen for such a short time and then destroyed by fire. Although the burning is part of the process. Sort of bothers me. Each year, They choose one of the little figures to save and put in a museum, but everything else is gone.
As an artist, I think of the loss of an amazing thing, and it grieves me that that gorgeous samuri on his horse and the geisha who seemed less-than-impressed with him, they exist only in pictures and memories. We have seen artwork and architecture that is hundreds, even a thousand years old in this trip. But Las Fallas are more like Rose Parade floats than religious icons. (wouldn't people get a kick out of igniting the parade floats! But you could never do this in the US!) Their beauty is only intended for a few short days, although they take a year to design and build and decorate.
I have been making quite a few pieces in the last couple years that I show in various places, and this makes me happy. I have sold several pieces, and feel happy about this too. I know I am not making any real profit, making even enough to cover expenses, much less pay for my time and skill. But I don't regret selling my art. It motivates me to make more. And while I would freak out if they were burned up, I make ArtQuilts because I love the process -maybe as much as the product.
I was going to ponder the spiritual connotations too, but I need some coffee and there is a lot of Barcelona waiting to be explored!
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Location:valencia
