The production of masks and big-heads for the street from a theatre and artisan
perspective aims to obtain great visual results with minimal means such as the reuse of
paper and cardboard. Contextualising street theatre with the place where the activity
takes place, in order to highlight the most characteristic and lively elements of its
environment.
The nature of the Sierra de Cádiz has become the perfect place for the project: Lo Animal toma las Calles, where during two editions of the Fiestas Mayores de Grazalema (2024-2025), a tableau of animal masks has been created, which have taken
to the streets of the village to the incessant rhythm of the batucada.
The workshop aimed at young people and adults has been held at the Casa de la
Juventud in Grazalema over the course of a week during the spring of each edition.
In the first edition, following the creative possibilities of cardboard and seeking through geometry the physiological characteristics of different animals, horses,
roosters, goats, parrots and pigs were created.
In the second edition of the project, the inspiration comes from the Merino sheep, which is why the wool from Grazalema has been used to generate other types of textures in the final aesthetics of the bigheads.
All the preparation phases have been divided in this way: design and definition of the
animal structures using the papier-mâché technique; painting and colour; application
of the merino wool and manipulation of the fabric on the recycled cardboard sheep.
In the town of Benamahoma, for the Cultural Week of 2024, the project Chillida –
artefact and nature was carried out. Trying to unite aesthetics and calligraphy of the
internationally renowned Basque artist and sculptor, we designed masks that unite the
plastic perspective by using and recovering accessible and nearby materials; and the
theatrical perspective, contextualising and creating connections with street theatre.
To connect parades with localities where they have been culturally important in their
festivals and popular celebrations as a form of expression that unites the performative
and the festive atmosphere.