Journal of Alpine Research Revue de géographie alpine Montagnes en fictions The Center for Art and Nature Cerro Gallinero. A Space to Feel the Infinite Surrounded by Silence Carlos de Gredos Translator: Adrián Martín Jiménez (from spanish) Electronic version URL: http://rga.revues.org/3761 ISSN: 1760-7426 Publisher Association pour la diffusion de la recherche alpine Electronic reference Carlos de Gredos, «The Center for Art and Nature Cerro Gallinero. A Space to Feel the Infinite Surrounded by Silence», Journal of Alpine Research Revue de géographie alpine [Online], Mountains in fiction, Online since 20 June 2017, connection on 22 June 2017. URL : http://rga.revues.org/3761 This text was automatically generated on 22 June 2017. La Revue de Géographie Alpine est mise à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Attribution - Pas d'utilisation Commerciale - Pas de Modification 4.0 International.
1 The Center for Art and Nature Cerro Gallinero. A Space to Feel the Infinite Surrounded by Silence Carlos de Gredos Translation : Adrián Martín Jiménez (from spanish) 1 How does a project arises that unites nature and art? From the need of a series of artworks to be born and live on in time engendered under the dialogue with the natural elements of the site. It is a personal project approved by the municipality where the community is located, Hoyocasero, Ávila, Spain. Allocate 31 ha. The resolution was adopted unanimously at the plenary session on June 4, 2008, inaugurated on August 14, 2010.
2 Cerro Gallinero in Spain The Cerro is formed by a granitic landscape with scrubland of broom and its neuralgic coordinates are 40 24' 23.43 " N 4 57' 44.21" W. 2 The place is a magnificent promontory and its views reach all the upper basin of the Alberche River, behind it it s contemplated the Paramera Mountain Range and to the west there is the central massif of the Gredos Mountain Range. Southbound we have the Serranillos pass and Pico s pass that allow the passage of Gredos.
3 Cerro Gallinero, map (2015) Source: https://cerrogallinero.com/el-centro-2/ubicacion/ Luis Luna. The escape is on the branch. The syllable is nutrient. Homage to Paul Celan (2010) Leave the syllable in the stone as a ritual prior to the writing itself, as a simple situational marked or strictly physical. In any case it involves not leave a mark, but the mark to be imprinted on me. Somehow, having the wind, the snow or the rain strictly within. (Luis Luna) Photo: Carlos de Gredos, 04/07/2010, 14/08/2010.
4 Azucena Pintor. Weightless lines (2012) It supposes to feel unified with space and time, be able to perceive the spirit of the place as a weightless rhizome that envelops everything, reminding me that I belong to the Earth, that Great Goddess who owns everything and everyone. (Azucena Pintor) Photo: Carlos de Gredos, 21/07/2012. 3 This space was chosen for having a little tor, that is, a rock above another and independent, necessary for the first project, and also for being a municipal property. 4 In the Cerro a new relationship between man and landscape arises. Artworks are developed where the artist must investigate and work for this territory and its context, which makes him a privileged spectator, discoverer of elements and feelings that very often go unnoticed by the locals if such artworks do not exist. It is about to value this scenic area of inestimable legacy and with possibilities for different artists to embody the imprint that cause in them. 5 One of the parts of the space consists is a stone quarry surface. This activity was abandoned. With this abundant material is intended on the one hand, to use it to carry out works in the vicinity and on the other, mitigate the environmental impact. The stone is the material most commonly used because of the geology of space. In autumn the cows share space with the artworks. There are no more uses in this place currently. When in modern times is thought to promote projects that stimulate rural life, here it is presented as an activity that goes beyond the vacation months, that is, it has a permanent character. 6 The first thing the public values is the respectful nature of the works, their interaction with the place and the effort, by the artists, to extract all the plastic potential from this territory. In this sense the visitor perceives it.
5 Carlos Cuenllas. Memory (2014) What better way to make an offering to Time that bury our personal memory on top of the hill. The artwork Memory of Carlos Cuenllas contains Christmas ornaments, toys, pacifiers of his child, etc. It could be a time capsule of any of us. Photo: Carlos de Gredos, 20/08/2014.
6 Manu Pérez de Arrilucea. Stonehead, the one that looks at the Cerro (2011) Walk the space Looking high, the sky approaches I want to be beauty and sense Looking for the place, I share Stones and mud Place of power, talk to me Offer what I have inside Understand without think Inhabit to march Go up Fall down and rest (Manu Pérez de Arrilucea) Photo: Carlos de Gredos, 27/07/2011. 7 For its development there is a management team. The locals also collaborates with his work and mechanical means. The Municipality participates in funding to the extent of its possibilities, considering that it has fewer than 350 inhabitants. The other source is familiar.
7 Helena Aikin. Mogor-Hoyocasero Labyrinth (2012) I often think of the sharp beauty of Cerro Gallinero, in the great telluric force of that formidable rocky and arid nature, and it gives me great peace to know I have an artwork there, perfectly integrated into the landscape of high winds and slowly changing over time. (Helena Aikin) Photo: Carlos de Gredos, 13/08/2016. Xavier Sis. The Tree of Life (2015) The Tree of Life is a granite tree in a stone forest... Its fruits are perishable and available to all creative souls who pilgrimage to the Cerro Gallinero, to get the consent of the gods who inhabit it. I discover them making this intervention in the infinite solitude of these castilians mountains still full of metaphysical purity. (Xavier Sis) Photo: Carlos de Gredos, 13/05/2015.
8 Xavier Sis. The Tree of Life (2015), detail Photo: Carlos de Gredos, 13/05/2015. 8 A very important point is that the Center for Art and Nature Cerro Gallinero is not a sculpture park. Here the artworks are born from the previous ride and dialogue and mutual understanding between the artist and territory. The Tree of Life cannot be considered a sculpture because where it located and also it is part of the artwork is a large rock. When performed by the artist is a small part of the artwork, or else the surroundings also become part, then it is an intervention, not a sculpture. The notion of sculpture is not rejected, what happens is that these artworks go beyond the three dimensions, one could say that the fourth is the place itself, sometimes is its spirit, air, background where the artwork falls and other the whole set where the intervention of the artist is done.
9 Carlos de Gredos. Places announcing the infinite (1999-2009) Places announcing the infinite, is the first artwork that was made at the Center of Art and Nature Cerro Gallinero. It is also known as The Cloud because the whitewashed stone mass is confused, in certain light conditions, with the clouds of the sky themselves, it takes the same lightness and merges with them, as one more. (Carlos de Gredos) Photo: Carlos de Gredos, 19/05/2015. APPENDIXES Websites : https://cerrogallinero.com/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hggria21jy https://www.facebook.com/centrodearteynaturalezacerrogallinero/ AUTHORS CARLOS DE GREDOS Born in Hoyocasero (Spain) in 1958. He has studied architecture and has a degree in Fine Arts from the Complutense University of Madrid (1989). His activities focus on interventions in the landscape, sculpture, performance, video, photography and poetry. He has also given workshops and conferences of Art and Nature at international meetings and universities. He is currently Coordinator of the Center of Art and Nature Cerro Gallinero.