This is what I have been working on...today it started like this...
then went on like this....though it has infact progressed further at this point, I'll just have to surprise you with the next bit of progress.
You may or may not recall that time eldest and I were at a gallery in BCN and there was a show that included photos of people outside the Berlin wall, around when I visited. I took this photo of eldest's shadow cast over the photo, and that moment is the germ of the idea for the painting...
Now then. The Catalan's have this tradition, that starts out sounding pretty normal to me, they put up nativity scenes, but in the back of all these scenes, there is a man having a crap. The statues leave little to the imagination. He is called the caganer. Why he is there? I have no idea.
This has developed into quite an industry since then. You can now get statues of prominent football player caganers, the Pope caganers, and prominent politician caganers among others. Now American friends came to visit us this fall and when they we mentioned this unique Catalan cultural tradition and the spin off versions, the begged and pleaded that we send them a 'certain prominent American politician' caganer...so you two, if your looking in today here is a preview, I'll mail it this week...for the rest of you...well, I hope you're not offended.
Yessiree Bob, that's him...
Check out the equipment there, he probably would be flattered.
Here's a final adieu,
11 comments:
Absolutely charming!
I don't think a "caganer" is going on my Christmas wish list though.
Hey, I tagged you (see my blog). It's all for a good cause - to encourage us to think! (Re: your previous post...)
OMG....MY EYES! MY EYES!
*speechless*
*regaining composure*
I know you've just been tagged by Beth but I had a wee tiny little tag for you too...if you are up for it.
Can you imagine hundreds of these on the White House lawn?
The powerful directness of that figure and relating it to the nativity scene leave one gasping -I was like Beth at first.
Do collect some insider native interpretations.
I'd love to hear them.
My head is spinning from what comes to mind.
OMG...that is a picture I just DO NOT need in my head!!! Equipment's not bad, tho... ;)
I love the moments in life when I have the a-ha moment of learning a new cultural tradition.
I guess I've been living it myself, in my own way, for years.
Your painting, honey, is a pleasure to watch emerging. (awkward sentence, but you get the drift). Love it.
Beth: Coming right up...the meme that is, not the caganer.
Trish: I particularly like the way the last photo lined up with the comment button, it is rather breath-taking...
GM: I will try, but I think it boils down to a very scatalogical sense of humour...there is crap all over the place at christmas, Santa even leaves you crap if your naughty...chocolate crap, but crap nonetheless.
Beth: It is a stunner, though I think the missile in his hand is a nice touch.
Jocelyn: There are moments of astonishment about how others do things, and thank you quite sincerely about the painting.
Your painting of that picture is pretty good. When I first saw it...I was thinking that I saw something like that recently...and then I saw your picture that you are using...which I saw before.
That is quite the interesting tradition they have going on there. Very unique :-)
I recognized your painting right away from your other post.
What strange traditions come from other places. It is very interesting, and quite a bit more disturbing than bobbleheads.
Sirdar: Unique is a polite word for it anyway.
Dawn: Gbush is not normally the tradition, usually it is a Catalan old guy, this is just a spin on it...I didn't see any Stephen Harpers on sale though...
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