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Esa fugaz esencia que dejaron los sucesos

Carolina Astudillo

Walter Benjamin defined “Spur” or trace as the “appearance of a nearness, however far removed the thing left it behind may be”.

Barcelona’s streets are populated with traces of the small and great battles fought by women throughout history. Some are barely perceived, they flicker, they’re hidden. Others have become intentional traces, plaques and/or monuments that attempt to reconstruct and update the past that History with a capital H wanted to erase.

I’m looking for that nearness, for vestiges of an alternative history to the official version, which must be rescued from oblivion.

I’m looking for the historical strength of those women considered by history to be exceptions, footnotes.

I’m looking for traces of that past-present and future that’s hidden in visible appearances, appearing in stone walls, shadows, reflections and empty streets.

I’m looking to convert the trace that escapes from time and thereby feel that fleeting essence left by events.

Esa fugaz esencia que dejaron los sucesos (That fleeting essence left by events) / Spain / 2022 / 11’44" / Super-8/HD / Original version: Spanish – Subtitles: English
Direction and script: Carolina Astudillo Muñoz

Related to City Symphonies 2022, City Symphonies, Premiere of "City Symphonies" 2022

18 April 2022