Fiesta
Attila KIM & Bogdan CIOCODEICA
Installation at Concéntrico 06
Public space, beyond the obvious circulation purposes and regardless of the size of a settlement, should be about bringing people together and celebrating past and present moments of the life of a community. The quality of these common spaces directly influence our interactions as a group and have the power to generate civic cohesion and offer the opportunity for communication between the individuals of a diverse community, leading to a better understanding, acceptance and respect among different cultural backgrounds and values.
The installation proposed in Plaza del Revellín, in front of Parlamento de La Rioja, is a symbolic gesture that brings together for a fiesta all members of the multi-cultural community of Logroño. The official number of foreign residents is 17627*, representing 12% of the city’s population. The city is home of more than 10 ethnic groups, from almost all continents, the majority being from Romania, Pakistan, Morocco, Columbia, Bolivia and other South American countries.
The large platform floats above the pavement of the square like a supersized picnic blanket, that focuses the attention on the central table, a metaphor for friendship and openness. The graphical structure of the colourful surface is inspired by the geometrical patterns of traditional carpets, a common element of all ethnic groups, that uses the colours of the national flags, a simple, but relatable code for ethnic identification. The result is a patchwork, an almazuela, formed by all the national colours, expressing in the most comprehensive way the city’s multi-cultural fabric.
Symbolically, the invitation to this fiesta-table comes from the largest minority group of Logroño, the Romanian community, celebrating the first participation of the Romanian Cultural Institute at Concéntrico festival.
* Data presented in Observatorio de la Ciudad, 1st of January 2020