For their 2019 Venice Biennale pavilion, Catalonia presented an exhibition exploring the life of public statues and reflecting on the capacity of artworks to possess agency. The project considers the often-intense relationship that forms between humans and statues, focusing on fifteen such works from around Catalonia. At times celebrated, vandalized, protected, or destroyed, figurative sculptures have a strange capacity to inspire intense emotions, to make one “lose their head.”
The collective artist book, To Lose Your Head (Idols), includes written and artistic reflections on the exhibition’s theme, exploring the idea of artistic agency as it analyses the passions that are sparked when dealing with figurative sculpture. Pedro Azara, an architect, archaeologist, and professor of aesthetics, explores the perception of images as living entities. Looking at the deep reverence and radical iconoclastic urges inspired by works of public art, he considers how the Western artistic tradition might still be deeply animist. Six contemporary Catalan artists—David Bestué, Lúa Coderch, Lola Lasurt, Daniela Ortiz, Perejaume, and Francesc Torres—take on this question from the perspective of artistic practice, creating works and essays in response to Azara. The publication includes documentation of the exhibition and provides information on accompanying works by playwright Marcel Borràs, architect Tiziano Schürch, and filmmaker Albert García-Alzórriz, in collaboration with poet Gabriel Ventura.
The collective artist book, To Lose Your Head (Idols), includes written and artistic reflections on the exhibition’s theme, exploring the idea of artistic agency as it analyses the passions that are sparked when dealing with figurative sculpture. Pedro Azara, an architect, archaeologist, and professor of aesthetics, explores the perception of images as living entities. Looking at the deep reverence and radical iconoclastic urges inspired by works of public art, he considers how the Western artistic tradition might still be deeply animist. Six contemporary Catalan artists—David Bestué, Lúa Coderch, Lola Lasurt, Daniela Ortiz, Perejaume, and Francesc Torres—take on this question from the perspective of artistic practice, creating works and essays in response to Azara. The publication includes documentation of the exhibition and provides information on accompanying works by playwright Marcel Borràs, architect Tiziano Schürch, and filmmaker Albert García-Alzórriz, in collaboration with poet Gabriel Ventura.
Table of Contents
INTRO
WHEN STATUES MADE US LOSE OUR HEADS... Pedro Azara
1) THE VANITY OF IMAGES / Pedro Azara
The Tentacles Of Art
Sensitive Manifestation
The Necessary Destruction Of Images
Common Sense
Disturbance
The Golden Calf
The Deity And Its Image
Iconoclasm And Idolatry
The Paradox Of Iconoclasm
The Image Of The Prophet
A Question Of Image
Artistic Heritage
Artistic Attack
Creation V. Destruction
And The Statues Want To Die
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2) THE ARTISTS AT WORK
INTRODUCTION
Llorenç Bonet and Joana Teixidor
THE LOSS OF A HEAD, THREE FINGERS FROM ONE HAND, A NOSE AND ONE LEG
Francesc Torres
STANDING
Daniela Ortiz
FORM AND TIME
David Bestué
RHYTHM EXERCISE (on the monument to Francesc Layret) /
Lola Lasurt
OF IMAGES AND PEDESTALS
Perejaume
BELLY
Lúa Coderch
3) THE EXHIBITION
INTRODUCTION Pedro Azara
EYES/ EYES/ EYES/ EYES
Albert García-Alzórriz
CRACKS
Garbriel Ventura
EXPRESS YOURSELF MACHINE
Marcel Borràs
EXHIBITION DESIGN
Tiziano Schürch
“BIOGRAPHIES” OF PUBLIC SCULPTURES IN CATALONIA (1978-2018)
Pedro Azara and Dolors Magallón
Participants
INTRO
WHEN STATUES MADE US LOSE OUR HEADS... Pedro Azara
1) THE VANITY OF IMAGES / Pedro Azara
The Tentacles Of Art
Sensitive Manifestation
The Necessary Destruction Of Images
Common Sense
Disturbance
The Golden Calf
The Deity And Its Image
Iconoclasm And Idolatry
The Paradox Of Iconoclasm
The Image Of The Prophet
A Question Of Image
Artistic Heritage
Artistic Attack
Creation V. Destruction
And The Statues Want To Die
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2) THE ARTISTS AT WORK
INTRODUCTION
Llorenç Bonet and Joana Teixidor
THE LOSS OF A HEAD, THREE FINGERS FROM ONE HAND, A NOSE AND ONE LEG
Francesc Torres
STANDING
Daniela Ortiz
FORM AND TIME
David Bestué
RHYTHM EXERCISE (on the monument to Francesc Layret) /
Lola Lasurt
OF IMAGES AND PEDESTALS
Perejaume
BELLY
Lúa Coderch
3) THE EXHIBITION
INTRODUCTION Pedro Azara
EYES/ EYES/ EYES/ EYES
Albert García-Alzórriz
CRACKS
Garbriel Ventura
EXPRESS YOURSELF MACHINE
Marcel Borràs
EXHIBITION DESIGN
Tiziano Schürch
“BIOGRAPHIES” OF PUBLIC SCULPTURES IN CATALONIA (1978-2018)
Pedro Azara and Dolors Magallón
Participants