Inhabit the esparto grass
Project for the recovery and transmission of esparto culture through dialogue between local artisans, researchers and contemporary creators.
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Project description
Inhabit the esparto grass It is an initiative that seeks to keep the esparto culture alive in Villarejo de Salvanés through rapprochement between the esparto community and contemporary creators. This initiative is part of the Esparto Safeguard Plan as Intangible Cultural Heritage (Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute).
This initiative was born, in 2018, from the cultural project AL FRESCO-EPHIMERO MUSEUMS, which aims to get closer to the periphery of the city to promote the reconstruction of identity, reinforcing the link between the community and its environment.
In 2018 Al Fresco - Museos Efímeros promoted a series of philosophical dialogues about beauty in Villarejo de Salvanés in which the imaginary of esparto remained alive but with a feeling of a lost heritage, which was expressed through the phrase: «El esparto "he died when plastic was born."
Inhabiting the esparto was created to recover this Intangible Cultural Heritage through artistic residencies in a transmission space that linked local artisans, designers, schools, and artistic entities.
Since then, a participatory and community trajectory has been followed with relevant results, such as the consolidation of an artisan community that carries out the transmission in weekly workshops at the Ethnographic Museum and the development of exhibitions, workshops and traveling exhibitions in different places such as Alcalá de Henares, INLAND-CAMPO ADENTRO, Matadero-Madrid, La Casa Encendida, the URJC and the Environmental Education Centers in the region.
It is a project of social cohesion, artistic creation and local development that is articulated from the recovery of the esparto culture.
In parallel, different actions are promoted that allow us to expand the vision and possibilities. In addition to hosting collaborations and micro-residencies with different artists and researchers, to promote the transmission of knowledge, an artist's booklet has been published and a board game designed to reach children. On the other hand, training has begun in new techniques such as esparto grass and walks for environmental education have been launched.
We hope to continue consolidating the community and generating new alliances that strengthen the intergenerationality of the Esparta culture.
Objectives
- Keep alive and spread the esparto culture through the rapprochement between art and community.
- Create an intergenerational meeting space to promote social cohesion through esparto culture.
- Approach the periphery of the city to promote the reconstruction of identity, reinforcing the link between the community and its environment.
- Promote the creation of artistic projects outside the city, in contact with the rural environment and its inhabitants.
- Promote research on new uses of esparto that work with this material in an innovative way to generate economic resources.
- Promote synergies that enhance, promote and enrich entrepreneurship in the territory.
Recovery of the use of esparto grass to reduce the consumption of polluting chemical materials.
Development
Heritage research and conservation:
- Esparto Safeguard Plan as Intangible Cultural Heritage (Spanish Cultural Heritage Institute).
- Artistic residencies. The artistic creation is born from a previous research process on the esparto culture.
Citizen participation, training:
- I run espartero. Meeting place and open space where artisans share their knowledge of the craft with all people interested in learning about and practicing the different esparto techniques. Every Saturday at the Casa de la Tercia.
- Transhumant workshops that tour the Community of Madrid to publicize the esparto culture.
- Esparto workshops free weekly at the Ethnographic Museum of Villarejo de Salvanés.
- Participation in the European Crafts Days.
- Collaboration with the European Institute of Design.
Artistic creation:
- Artistic residencies. Creation of a mural in honor of the spinners, collaboration in contemporary art festivals.
- The Desert that was the sea: collective creation workshop with esparto paper.
- Stitches of life. Creation of a mural painting that highlights the past of the textile industry in Villarejo de Salvanés, a source of economic wealth directed by the women of the municipality.
Education:
- Preparation of teaching resources: Esparto booklet and Esparteras game.
- Educational activities for children: puppet workshops and storytelling.
Cultural tourism:
- Walks for environmental education
- Visit to the Casa de la Tercia and I run Espartero every Saturday.
Financing:
#HabitarEsparto was born with the support of the Villarejo de Salvanés City Council, which has also financed initiatives such as the production of the artist's booklet and the esparteras game and provides the work space. They have also explored the through crowdfunding for machinery construction.
Currently, the sources of economic resources are the holding of exhibitions and workshops as well as the sale of crafts. The project continues to search for more solid financing avenues, both public and private, that will allow it to consolidate the scope of its actions.
Those who participate:
- Collaboration: VILLAREJO DE SALVANÉS CITY COUNCIL
- Support: INSTITUTE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE OF SPAIN, FADEMUR, El CUBO VERDE Network, Medialab-Matadero working groups, INLAND-CAMPO ADENTRO, CEA Campillo and Polvoranca.
