An Artistic Soul

It is a constant joy for me is to observe how Andalucia with its powerfully evocative and contrasting beauty provides enormous artistic inspiration literally drawing the poetic and sensitive into its soul. Living in any European capital it is the norm to discover a constant flow of creative ebullience and dynamism. Finding the same characteristics in tiny villages lost in the sierras, or small, decaying fishing villages along little known stretches of coast runs against the grain of popular expectations. Within the confines of my local area there is a huge well of painters, sculptors, photographers, musicians, artisans of every conceivable kind, writers, performers, poets, and film-makers to name but a few, all of whom share a common inspiration grounded in the lyrical beauty of world they inhabit and a lifestyle that encourages appreciating the aesthetic and contemplative. Tourists from the world over come here to marvel at the wonders that resulted from centuries of cultural fusion and its inherent and ageless sensibility, yet few are aware that the same fundamental process continues and that contemporary Andalucia remains very much at the forefront of creative originality. Even though local artists tend not to be involved in the media circuit and generally reject the values of consumerist art, their huge value deserves to be discovered and recognised on a larger stage.

So what is it about Andalucia that has made it such an infinite source of inspiration for varying cultures that include Roman, Moorish, Spanish, gypsies and more recently a cosmopolitan mix of Westerners? The answer lies in the peculiarly sweet and aromatic cocktail of a beautiful landscape and climate that incites peaceful reflection united with an organic and timeless artistic tradition that has been shared by every civilization that has passed through the region. The other day I was walking around Salobreña’s beautiful Moorish castle and wondered as my gaze wandered from the watchtowers towards the sea then over to the snow-covered Sierra Nevada how a guard in those ancient times could not but have been in awe of the stunning beauty of the site. Looking at the castle from certain angles I also pondered if it was built with the sole intention of being a fortress or whether the architects intentionally sculpted it with precious precision from the rock formations and painted it delicately into the landscape. Every landscape provides similar sensations; views evoke images, metaphors and tales with strangely barren rock formations that suddenly come alive as faces, heads or animals. The tranquil Mediterranean assumes so many contrasting and conflicting personalities, dressing each season in a multitude of different gowns, colours, fabrics and textures. As a luxuriant theatrical backdrop to life’s adventures, few places can exhale such a sweet perfume of sensuality and romanticism as Seville, Cordoba, Granada and Cadiz. The climate with its extreme heat and aridness urges us to sit down in the shade and day-dream whilst making us all the more aware of our insignificance compared to the eternal rhythms of nature, bringing out the artistic sensibility imprisoned inside all of us. The way of life incites joviality, communication, empathy, spontaneity and reveres taking time to appreciate the simplest of pleasures.

Recently whilst watching a breathtakingly cold sunset above Capileira I saw an old and wizened shepherd heading back down to the village. He has almost certainly walked the same path each day for the last fifty years, yet he stopped for a few minutes, stooped over his stick, and peacefully admired the surreal mix of ethereal cloud formations above the snow covered gorge illuminated by the heavens as if a part of a spiritual painting. His face and posture exuded a moment of tranquil awe and oneness with his environment. Such is the essence of a place where nature’s poetry is a constant presence and stimulus whilst in the majority of societies it is but a distant collective memory. Andalucia’s artistic heart beat can be felt in many ways from the more obvious forms of expression, such as flamenco, to the tiny and apparently insignificant details and attitudes encountered in daily life that reflect it in a more subtle and sepia tone. Every time I walk along the beach at La Caleta, I wonder if the fishermen dotted along the rocks are actually interested in the catch or if they simply use it as an excuse to spend time engaging with the sea, cradled by the regular rhythm of the waves whilst gazing at the stunning light reflected in the foam. It is probably a mixture of both, yet their presence exudes pleasurable peace and harmony with their surroundings.

Culturally Andalucia is a gold mine, not just in the historical sense but in contemporary terms as well. It is rarely a case of people engaging in cultural activity because it is perceived in a positive light or as a source of wealth, rather culture is expressed and lived with a genuine authenticity and heart that transcends fashions, trends and hype. Flamenco defines for many the musical soul of the region. Venues across Andalucia regularly host great concerts by all the local legends, Seville holds the wonderful month long Bienal de Flamenco every two years and many other original events exist and are positively encouraged by regional government. There is even an agency for the development of flamenco as an art form and funding is generous. Yet its soul remains in the spontaneous performances to be found on the street or any number of other surprising locations. A few rare flamenco artists manage to make a well-paid living for themselves, however the majority just about manage to get by and dedicate themselves entirely to their passion. I often wonder if they intuitively know that artistic and moral freedom are ultimately of greater interest than the material gain provided by mainstream artistic careers.

A similar schema applies to just about any of the arts, with the more accepted cultural sphere receiving a lot of funding and support on a regional, provincial and local level. Classical music aficionados can find concerts in the major cities that are of a quality that surpasses many capital cities. However events nearly always have a very Andalucian twist, such as the International Music and Dance festival in Granada that is held in the stunning surroundings of the Alhambra and other historical monuments, or the summer concerts held in the sensuous Alcazaba gardens in Seville. Hence an art form renowned for its conservatism is united with inspiring surroundings and interpreted with Andalucia’s distinct sensitivity transcending it into something quite distinct. On a more popular level festivals here tend to follow the blueprint of the ubiquitous but evolve into something quite unique due to the proximity and warmth of the audience, the spontaneous jam sessions that always seem to occur both on stage and off and the infectiously spontaneous hedonism of revellers. Coupled with the fact that they are nearly always held in a stunning location with beach or mountains never far, the concept of a festival amazingly becomes redefined in local terms. Where else can you find a small village in isolated mountains that is home to an unorganized and spontaneous annual festival that attracts nearly ten thousand people from all across Europe or a small town set amongst olive groves that invented its own incredibly original world music festival held in searing heat under a cloud of dust? Any fiesta in any village can suddenly transform into something quite unexpected and beautiful. Small groups of people with a common goal, vision and little funding can make the impossible come to life. That is the magic of this place.

Living in such an environment stimulates the creative soul, encourages people to continue with their passion, sharing and amplifying it as it bounces from one inspired soul to another. No matter what the domain, the common denominator always remains the influence of nature, the street, living outside and in harmony with your surroundings. Art is lived not as something that is the reserve of an elite or of exclusive institutions but rather as something that can be shared and participated in by all those who have a similar sensibility, regardless of their age, sex or origin. In a sense art is what defines integration here and represents the eternal spirit of its civilization. For those that want to discover Andalucia’s creative soul it is an easy process once you understand the way things work; any event, encounter or gathering can become the scene of something special given the right conditions and a bit of luck. As for discovering new artists and interesting projects it is simply a case of looking around, talking to people, sharing passions and letting the incredible spirit of this place take care of the rest of the details. Things either happen spontaneously or not at all, it’s just a case of being in the right place at the right time and embracing any possibilities or discoveries that occur and following the path they lead you on.


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