The British artist Barbara Long has developed throughout her career a unique way of transmitting her art and creativity. A language that only she knows how to speak, but that conquers anyone who is lucky enough to enjoy her works and performances. A mind that has been able to turn our emblematic Comporta armchair upside down, and turn each of the pieces that compose it into mobile sculptures designed and embroidered one by one.
“Upon receiving the chair in my studio I thought a lot about how a child turns a sofa into anything, a shelter, a boat, a horse… I spent time physically turning it upside down thinking about everything I could do with it and decided to start taking it apart completely to create a series of shapes, like building blocks for children. But what I didn’t know was that the chair was so well made that taking it apart would be so difficult, which became a challenge and a fascinating journey of discovery.”
“When I began to remove the fabric covering the chair and saw the inside, I was struck by the beauty of the crisscross straps holding the base together and also by the huge screws and staples in the wooden structure. At that moment, I knew I wanted to reproduce this same thing on the outside of the pieces I was building. This is why I have staple-shaped thread stitches and the crisscrossing of the fabric. And the original straps became the handles of each sculpture I was creating.”
The symphony of colors on the fabrics is due to a natural dye from the root of rubia tinctorum, called "madder" in English, which translated into Spanish means "crazier" - something very appropriate given the crazy fun that Barbara was doing. The result of the installation is an invitation to play, to enter the world of a child again. Something that we must keep within us forever.
Come and discover “OH,SIT!” from October 28th to November 8th, a collection of works where comfort merges with artistic expression, transforming the act of sitting into a unique experience. In addition to being a cultural encounter, this action has a charitable purpose; the proceeds raised will go to the Ankaria Foundation. This organization supports young people with artistic talent who do not have the necessary resources to develop their careers, giving them the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.
