Each year the colorful rousing art festival “Velada Santa Lucía” brings ten thousand of people from all over Venezuela and the world to a small street in a working class neighborhood in Maracaibo. The festival which bursts all cultural and societal limits, was founded in 2001 by the Hamburg based Venezuelan artist Clemencia Labin, who was invited with her fascinating concept to the Venice Biennale in 2011.
During the Velada hundreds of artists from different countries display their art in the houses of the inhabitants of the quarter around the Santa Lucía church. During these days the whole neighborhood is turned upside down and the inhabitants do not just offer any room - they open their state parlor, the center of family life, including sectionals, Madonna shrines, private family pictures and plastic flower arrangements to the artists and the public. By donating their living-rooms while continuing with their daily life in the houses unique interactions evolve. What do the artists think when they stand in the houses? How do they change the rooms? What does the art to the home? „If only everything will be after as it was before!“ we can see it in their eyes: The fear of the new, the excitement to be involved and to expose oneself, the pride to be part of such a unique art festival. The inhabitants get involved in the exhibitions and people with the most different approaches to life and religion, with different attitudes and tastes who would never meet each other in normal life, collaborate closely within a small space. People celebrate together, eat, discuss, laugh, cry and once in a while clash with their different philosophies.
The art forges itself into the inhabitants‘ spaces - or is it the other way round? The facets seem endless and reach from playful concept art to paintings, from sculptures and performances to politically engaged art.
And in the end, nothing will be as it was before - even as the artists restore everything afterwards. Something has happened. Some communication has taken place, an interchange. The artists, the art and the inhabitants have formed a connection that cannot be broken quickly. This is no magic. This is the charm of art, which always has to do with truth as well. Even more because the Velada is a vivid platform afar from lifeless museums and galleries.
The documentary accompanies Clemencia Labin, the inhabitants and the artists before, during and after the Velada Santa Lucía 2012.
watch full length(ask for pswd)
https://vimeo.com/164809047
Credits:
director: Viviane Blumenschein
production company: Tony Petersen Film
producer: Anke Petersen
camera: Björn Knechtel
editing: Alex Murygin
assistant director: Lisa Häfner
animation: Lea Kolling
music: Christian Meyer
Arte/ZDF Production