NOBODY WANTS rubbish on the streets or waste dumped outside buildings, but imagine if that waste was re-assembled, re-imagined, re-created into a series of colourful little beasts and monsters, that instead of making a street look shabby, actually give it vibrancy, life, and joy?
This is what the art of Francisco de Pájaro is all about. As The Huffington Post said, he "creates delightful artwork out of rubbish he finds around the city at night, with the intent to make you smile" - but, catch them while you can, because the very next day they are gone, never to be seen again.
This is art as event, as ephemeral, as instantaneous, a moment in time, like all street art, so it is with a certain knowingness he calls his approach, Art Is Trash. As the Digital Journal noted:
"Art is Trash is not just a play on words as he sincerely believes that art should not be so important and that to feed 'the hungry poor is worth a thousand works of art'."
The Barcelona contemporary street and urban artist creates spontaneous sculptures of human figures, monsters, and animals from waste, rubbish, discarded items, bin bags, boxes, and broken furniture. Such sculptures have appeared in London, New York, Barcelona, and Berlin. Sometimes rude and licentious, sometimes political or funny, de Pájaro’s work always challenges, as he critiques mass consumption and ideas about value, beauty, and utility.
De Pájaro’s sculptures and installations can be found at various locations throughout Galway city from Wednesday July 13 to Sunday 17. See giaf.ie/artistrash
And while you are on the street look out for...
Beware! (And yet be ready to be entertained ) Giant insects and massive 'creepie crawlies' will be stalking the streets of Galway, from Eyre Square to the Spanish Arch!
This is Insects, the street theatre spectacle by Barcelona company Sarruga, and directed by Pakito Gutiérrez. Fire–breathing insects, beautiful butterflies and giant dragons, accompanied by a pulsating electronic musical score, travel through the city centre. Expect creatures staggering in their scale and mesmerising in their movement.
Insects takes place on Sunday July 10 and Monday 11 from 10pm. See giaf.ie/insects
Galway street goers are also in for some heart–stopping acrobatics performed on an enormous and beautiful art nouveau structure,. Welcome to the world of Frech company Les P’Tits Bras and their outdoor show, L’Odeur de la Sciure or The Scent of Sawdust.
Directed by Christophe Thellier, it will transport Galwegians back to fin de siècle Paris and the world of 19th century circus. See it in Eyre Square on Saturday July 16 and Sunday 17 at 2pm.
And while on the street you might also see a giant gramophone. If you do, go up to it, and connect your mobile device to it, because it is a gramophone, so you will be able to listen to it.
This is The Gramophone, a giant pop–up audio visual sculpture by Donnacha Cahill that will appear at various locations throughout Galway city and county, including the festival Big Top and in Connemara. To find out where it will be see www.giaf.ie/thegramophone
