The reaction to our collective exhibition "Con Otros Ojos" (A different view) from the public - both Spanish and otherwise - has been extremely positive. The exhibition was organised, in conjunction the department of Culture of Loja, by our new association of English Speakers in Loja (Asociación de Anglo-Parlantes de Loja o AAPL) which was officially inaugurated two days after the exhibition began.
The concept of the exhibition - how we, as foreign artists living and working in Spain, see the country we've settled in and its people - certainly seems to have captured people's imagination, being reflected as it has in a high number of sales, plenty of press coverage, and the artists very keen to take part in something similar in the future. Over a hundred people attended the private view and a similar number passed through the gallery on the night of the launch of the AAPL. (We have signed up over 80 members for the association since the launch, of which at least a third are Spanish, so we've had a remarkable success with this as well.)
We already have an agreement with the Department of Culture in the town hall for "Con Otros Ojos" to be an annual cultural event run by the AAPL - but exactly what form this will take is still to be decided. Perhaps this year's exhibition could travel to another destination and a new selection of artists come to Loja next year? It would be wonderful to think that one day there will be a series of "Con Otros Ojos" exhbitions running concurrently or successively throughout Andalusia or even throughout Spain but this requires a lot of organisation, a dedicated team and probably some funding into the bargain.
In the meantime, if you are interested in joining the AAPL, in taking part in future exibitions, or have ideas about organising this into a larger event in the future, do contact the AAPL at Lojanglo@gmail.com. We are also planning to set up a "Con Otros Ojos" website so keep your eyes open here for more news of that. And of course, if you haven't yet had chance to do so, get down to the exhibition before it closes on Friday.
"Con Otros Ojos" 29th July - 14th Aug 2009
CIC El Pósito, Plaza Joaquín Costa, Loja
Participating artists: Matty Bradley, Jacqui Moore, Cherry Jeffs, Paul Read, Amanda Hamilton, Barbara Hartley, Eileen Heywood, Andrés del Río.
The concept of the exhibition - how we, as foreign artists living and working in Spain, see the country we've settled in and its people - certainly seems to have captured people's imagination, being reflected as it has in a high number of sales, plenty of press coverage, and the artists very keen to take part in something similar in the future. Over a hundred people attended the private view and a similar number passed through the gallery on the night of the launch of the AAPL. (We have signed up over 80 members for the association since the launch, of which at least a third are Spanish, so we've had a remarkable success with this as well.)
Participating artists: Matty Bradley, Jacqui Moore, Cherry Jeffs, Paul Read, Amanda Hamilton, Barbara Hartley, Eileen Heywood, Andrés del Río.
