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Castilla and Leon

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Museums that let us dream

            THE STORY OF A VIDEO

                       Click here to watch it.

THREE VERBS PRINTED ON GLASS.

On A glass and in full color: Learn, Engage, Enjoy. This was the proposal written in the entrance of the Ryan Learning Center of the Chicago Art Institute. Those three words marked me. I found them superb, because it also matches perfectly with a recurrent phrase here at Patrimonio para jóvenes : “Art is not a subject, it’s an experience”.

2018 is the European Year of Cultural Heritage, and this occasion demanded a special homage, and there’s nothing better than letting Clara Frago talk to us through her camera.

       The #Meztuelviaje Video: What For?

To link the collections found in the museums with the work of an artist within those collections: In this case, the work of Gustavo de Maeztu from Estella, and the Beaux-Arts Museum of Bilbao.

To link the painting with the painted landscape (the Sorian countryside) and the landscape with traditional costumes.

To let these links turn into creativity. There had to be a speech, an original script. Telling the story of someone visiting a museum had no special interest. However, if those visits appear by the strength of the paintings, if these works are the ones dragging the observer until merging into the piece of art, the whole story changes.

To turn creativity into an ambassador of cultural heritage.

The story of this video takes us to two museums, one in Navarre, the other in Bilbao, and to the surprising Sorian village of Calatañazor. Showing you these places is our way to invite you to visit them.

FEW RESOURCES TURN INTO A CHALLENGE

A simple camera was all our equipment. A simple camera, but a great team

#Maeztuelviaje its a perfect example of the wit, creativity and expertise that represent Clara Frago Daza’s work.

We rooted for her four years ago, when she was still a student at the Communications Faculty of the University of Navarre. Now she has become a professional and her work never disappoints.

This Project has taken tons of hours from her. Despite the trips were long, they were the most entertaining part. The hardest challenge was to sit down and think how to tell this story.

AN EXPERIENCE THAT GATHERS PEOPLE

#Meztuelviaje was recorded between February and May, with many small obstacles such as rain, storms and winds. Against all odds, the Project could move on, also thanks to the collaboration of many people.

Camino Paredes, director of the Gustavo de Maeztu Museum and Eneritz Guillen Monasterio from the Communication department of the Beaux-Arts Museum of Bilbao. In both museums, they made everything easy for us to record its interiors.

While in Soria, Enrique Borobio went one afternoon to Calatañazor with his complete collection of Sorian costumes. We couldn´t help dressing Juan Roldán just as the Blindman of Calatañazor.

Due to obvious protection and preservation reasons, we couldn´t use the original robes from the Museum of the Sorian Traditional Costume. They’re very antique, and their handling is extremely delicate. Enrique gave us a lesson about the importance of preserving while spreading knowledge about these treasures.

Juan Roldán: Architect and fearless collaborator. In January we asked him if he would be interested on an acting career, he didn´t hesitate on saying yes, so now he was just expecting Clara’s instructions.

Marta Castaño and Miguel Mirón joined them and enjoyed the Castilla experience.

They enjoyed of the beautiful landscape and a delicious breakfast while being delighted with the gorgeous views.

I am pretty sure none og the mis going to forget that work of Gustavo de Maeztu.

They will always have the Sorian landscape and characters from Vozmediano and Calatañazor. As the time goes by, we’ll go back to this video and we will revive all this moments and experiences.

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Folklore and fashion

JUSTE BY CHANCE

It was during the last spring when I came across an article at the magazine “Nuestro Tiempo”. Two students (actually graduates) from the architecture school, were starting a little business of bag design.

I kept in touch with them and made them a proposal.

What about designing with cultural heritage as inspiration? A good start is the Renaissance architecture found in a very little and hidden village: Morón de Almazán. Inspiration can be found not only on the stones of its amazing square but on the typical costumes of its Museum.

      FROM TRADITION TO INNOVATION

It was the goal. To create style and contemporary fashion but looking back to the origins in ancient dresses, ceremonies, music and festivals.

The girls from the BeiA firm would create new models of bags with this inspiration. First, they had to travel and visit the village and its museum, look at everything with care, time and even tenderness.

 

Beatriz and Ainhoa visited the museum guided by Rogelio Peña, the person in charge of this little but great museum. They had explanations about traditions, social classes and different ceremonies and roles.

Then they came back to Pamplona, and started designing

THE DATE ARRIVES

When summer is almost over, the day arrived. It was September 2nd.

Beatriz, Ainhoa and me were all excited. What was going on?

How many people would come? At the near village of Almazán there was a festival, with a “corrida de toros” included.

We had the doubt, perhaps nobody would come? After the hard work during the summer, what was going to happen?

And great! The museum was full of people. The old people from the village fell in love with their culture and their heritage, people from the city of Soria, (capital of the province) and more: people from Bilbao, Logroño and other surrounding cities. People who were traveling as tourist around this area.

Beatriz and Ainhoa presented the models and then we enjoyed a dinner with typical products from Navarra, the region from which Bea and Ainhoa come from

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Our gratitude to the team in charge of the Soria Museum, to the people in charge of the cultural area of the  “Diputación of Soria”Yolanda Martínez  and Milagros Tajahuerce  the mayor of Moron de Almazan.

 

Before finishing this post I’d like to encourage you to visit the Museum of Moron de Almazan as well as the old Medinaceli. Check out the web (The one of the museum is not available for mobile phones).

See you .

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Charming and hidden sites of Segovia

Around the city of Madrid there are many other very interesting cities well worth visiting in terms of art and cultural heritage. Some of them are World Heritage sites such as the one we’ve just visited: Segovia.

 They are not very big in terms of population and size, and as a result of being so close to Madrid, there are thousands of tourists, especially students and teenagers, that make a round trip in one day to Segovia (or Toledo, or Avila) in a rush. The aqueduct, cathedral and Alcázar form a kind of check-list. They are great and stunning places, but they are not all that there is to see. You can still discover more beauty, but never in a hurry.

Our visit was focused on industrial heritage, such as The Royal Mint of Segovia, which you can read more information about here

Casa de la Moneda, explicación de Jose 2

We had a great visit with a very friendly guide, José, and had a lot of fun reflecting not only about the history of the coins but about how the new museology helps the public understand the exhibition ( both the permanent or the temporary one ) . It is a great space and an interesting building with a great promenade by the side of Eresma river.

Asomados en Casa de la Moneda

 

After leaving the Royal Mint you can walk close to the river and find the Carmelite friar house and the tomb of Saint John of the Cross, one of the most important saints and writers in the history of Spain.

Then to the La Fuencisla, where you can experience the majesty and superb atmosphere of baroque decorations

Rejas de La Fuencisla

Continuing with industrial heritage, we visited Museo Zuloaga, an old church converted into a ceramic factory at the beginning of the XX century. The artist Daniel Zuloaga bought it and not only made it into a factory and office, but also a house. Here you can see the bathroom is decorated in a very original way, isn’t it?

Museo Zuloaga, cuarto de baño

The museum is not opened daily because there is not enough money to afford it. A pity. If only half of the people that arrive to Segovia weekly would like to visit it! But they don’t know it exists! What can we do to avoid forgetting our culture?

Museo Zuloaga entrada

Regarding ceramic and Zuloaga, we had an informal talk about artists, (painters, writers ) from the end of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX. They are known as “Generation of 98.” The talk was around the charming fireplace you can see in this picture. It looks like scenery from a film , doesn’t it?

chimenea de Zuloaga

So if you want to visit Spain, definitely come, but please don’t run, walk!!! There are beautiful sites waiting for you !