Free Electrons?

Since Guggenheim Bilbao opened, every city around feels it also needs its own touch of imposing architecture, avantgarde and art. So, councils throw money in big big projects. Size of the building is important, and in Donostia, it'a a former 19th century magnificient tobacco factory (the Tabacalera) that will be transformed into the International Contemporary Culture Centre of San Sebastian (official english name, you see, spanish equals english when naming the city, I wonder why it couldn't be native Donostia...).

Tabacalera is in the process of becoming a proper museum, but meanwhile it uses its vast spaces to host things. Last sunday we went as a family to see video-art. Short arty films of some Lemaitre collection, brought together in a show called Free Electrons.



I made some shots (no flash) with my phone, and here comes the security agent. No photos allowed. I protested, we are against the tiranny of privative copyright and we believe art should be free. At the end, the guy accepted a technical excuse: I was making shots of my family. Yes, look at the interferences caused by my son with his toy plane.

If revolutionary art needs millionaire public funding to exist, so it be: after all, modern art is fun to see, and having it near home is good for family life. But I won't abide by the authorities' restrictions over the right of taxpayers to document our lives and cities. Free Electrons? Let them be truly free. When possible, I will keep shooting at Tabacalera, and my photos will be copylefted here. I'm not an artist, but I'll try to be loyal to the true spirit of avantgarde art.