PENITENCIA PERMANENTE
A clash of Spanish identities in the 1980’s after the fall of the facist dictatorship, where a split in the population occured. One half holding on to the values and conservativeness established by Franco, the other searching for a new found identity through self-expression.
I personally docuemented the Picaos and Empalaos penitence through out the year, 2 processions that are the last of their kind. ‘Los Picaos’ of San Vicente de la Sonsierra; A procession focused on an act of self-flagellation, and last one of its kind in Spain, where masked men wearing full white robes whip themselves repeatedly with a string whip . And the ‘Empalaos’ of Valverde de la Vera; A Via Crucis which is completed whilst wrapped in rope carrying a wooden mast on your shoulders and a lace vaile topped with a crown of spines. This gave me a great insight into this centenary tradition and how it is perceived and practiced by locals generationally, and how this personal penitence has become a local tradition.
I then looked into ‘La Movida Madrileña’ a time in which the youth of Spain experienced freedom for the first time since the fall of the republic in 1936. ‘La Movida’ is characterized for its liberal ideals, founded from acceptance and self-expression, and its wardrobe is very much influenced by punk/rocker styles developed around Europe at the time. Incorporating construction details from iconic garments of this era such as leather bikers jackets and Denim gilets as well as slim tailoring and classic sartorial pieces.
I persued silhouettes that combine the drape of monastic attire with the sturdiness of the punk inspired pieces worn during La Movida. Creating a conversation where details from the penitentiary robes are reworked throughout garments such as blazers and jackets. Delicate fabrics such as lace are contrasted with heavy boiled wools and leathers to create this clash between worlds in the materiality of the garments. Creating a conjoint uniform that belongs to not one or the other, but exists in an eternal status quo.
A clash of Spanish identities in the 1980’s after the fall of the facist dictatorship, where a split in the population occured. One half holding on to the values and conservativeness established by Franco, the other searching for a new found identity through self-expression.
I personally docuemented the Picaos and Empalaos penitence through out the year, 2 processions that are the last of their kind. ‘Los Picaos’ of San Vicente de la Sonsierra; A procession focused on an act of self-flagellation, and last one of its kind in Spain, where masked men wearing full white robes whip themselves repeatedly with a string whip . And the ‘Empalaos’ of Valverde de la Vera; A Via Crucis which is completed whilst wrapped in rope carrying a wooden mast on your shoulders and a lace vaile topped with a crown of spines. This gave me a great insight into this centenary tradition and how it is perceived and practiced by locals generationally, and how this personal penitence has become a local tradition.
I then looked into ‘La Movida Madrileña’ a time in which the youth of Spain experienced freedom for the first time since the fall of the republic in 1936. ‘La Movida’ is characterized for its liberal ideals, founded from acceptance and self-expression, and its wardrobe is very much influenced by punk/rocker styles developed around Europe at the time. Incorporating construction details from iconic garments of this era such as leather bikers jackets and Denim gilets as well as slim tailoring and classic sartorial pieces.
I persued silhouettes that combine the drape of monastic attire with the sturdiness of the punk inspired pieces worn during La Movida. Creating a conversation where details from the penitentiary robes are reworked throughout garments such as blazers and jackets. Delicate fabrics such as lace are contrasted with heavy boiled wools and leathers to create this clash between worlds in the materiality of the garments. Creating a conjoint uniform that belongs to not one or the other, but exists in an eternal status quo.
