kurimanzutto - autoconstrucción, book and cd

autoconstrucción, book and cd

Autoconstrucción

In order to make an exhibition at the Centre for Contemporary Arts in Glasgow, Abraham Cruzvillegas spent the summer of 2008 in residency at Cove Park, Kilcreggan, making improvised sculptures with materials found in that context: wool, sheep shit, chicken wire, discarded furniture, cardboard, stones, grass and his own hair… They are unplanned assemblages, made to test new dialogues between odd and contradictory objects and prime matter. All those works are inspired on his parents’ house in Mexico City, as it is an improvised and almost useless place made without budget, plans or even ideas: chaotic, ugly and definitely unfinished.

During the same period, he wrote some lyrics about that house. They were written after a hybrid combination of inspiring sources, such as romantic popular music, folk music, boleros, dub, rock and roll, salsa, reggae, Brazilian music, corridos, punk, ska, cumbia, trova Yucateca, funk, protest music, norteñas, hip-hop, commercial pop from everywhere, etc. I invited musicians from Glasgow to create the music for the lyrics; which were recorded at the CCA with 18 eclectic bands; electronic, post punk, pop, noise, a choir…

The music was played the music in the streets and squares of Glasgow with a sound system constructed as a mobile sculpture, in collaboration with John O’Hara, in a bike-recycling workshop in Bridgeton, which is part of The Common Wheel Project. This cart was made with parts from used, discarded or old bikes and diverse furniture pieces; pipes, sticks, carpets, wood, ropes and wires. The sound system refers directly to those riding the streets of Kingston in Jamaica during the seventies and eighties, the Sonidero tradition of Mexico City or New York, but also to the DJ and MC practices around the world. For all of them the amplification (which means loud and deep) element is central and common in their many different manners of playing and sharing music in public places or spaces.

Along with the sculptures made at Cove Park, the sound system –playing the music- was on display at the CCA from 26 September to 7 November 2008.The music was played at ¡URGENTE! 41 Salón Nacional de Artes Plásticas, at the Colegio de la Sagrada Familia, in Cali, Colombia and in the streets of that city, during the opening days: 18, 19, 20 of November 2008. Also, the music was played during the opening of th Havana Biennial in march of 2009.

The book and CD "Autoconstrucción", published by CCA Glasgow, are available at kurimanzutto.

The songs can be downloaded for free at:
www.lastfm.es/music/autoconstrucción/Autoconstrucción

more of 2011
	Dr. Lakra Dr. Lakra Museo de la Ciudad de México diciembre 6, 2011 - febrero 9, 2012
	Animism. Modernity through the Looking Glass Jimmie Durham, Generali Foundation
	The Global Contemporary Minerva Cuevas: The Global Contemporary