"The Salon of Spanish Rejects" exhibition by Lon-art.org.

   I had the great pleasure of collaborating in the exhibition and workshops of "The Salon of Spanish Rejects" that took place from the 7th to the 12th of May 20014 organised by Lon-art at the Oxford House in Bethnal Green. I really enjoyed the whole experience, in a very personal way, because from my point of view this exhibition was something historical.

   Yes, it was! it is now part of the history of Spain, the history of the Spanish emigration of thousands, if they are not millions, of young Spanish professionals during this period of recession, that having completed their degrees, having even studied a second degree and masters, like in my case, had to emigrate to other countries, like Germany or England, looking for some source of income, and work in many cases in unqualified jobs. This is also part the history of the artistic panorama in Spain. Spanish emerging artists that, affected by unemployment and the harshness of the economic crisis, moved to London to look for new opportunities, to continue and project their artistic production.

   I had the chance to talk to some of these artists during the Opening and our conversation always lead to the same topic: how they felt in London. They felt like rejects from Spain but, most importantly, they were all very happy for being able to do more artistic projects here than back home. 

   In their works deals with a big variety of current Spanish social issues. To the ones I have mentioned before, recession or emigration, we should add abortion and freedom of speech, which last changes on its regulations by the government have raised a lot of criticism and opposition.

 Together with the exhibition, Lon-art organised different educational workshops related to art production and Spanish social problems and protest. One of them was Habla de Arte, in which some of our students from Spanish Tutor in London and me had the opportunity to participate and do different types of communicative activities in Spanish: discussion, presentations, opinion writing for the fanzine about the exhibition and painting of protest banners. And I have to say that everyone had a great time, including me.

   I hope you are looking forwards to Lon-art's next social exhibition next year like me, and we could participate in it too.