Occupy a grandstand - Luz Broto Luz Broto

Canòdrom Meridiana ,

Barcelona, ES

Occupy a grandstand, Action, December 2012

Temporarily occupying the grandstand of a disused building for one hour with around 300 people on the 1st of December 2012.

Since 2006, the publicly owned Canòdrom Meridiana in Barcelona has been shut down and disused. After renovation, the gutted building lost its purpose: the former dog track became a public square, and the grandstand was closed. Different projects were agreed upon to use this empty space (equipment for the neighbourhood like a library or a contemporary art centre for the city). Still, despite the citizen opposition, none of them was done.

This action staged an everyday situation (sitting down to while away the time) in a place where there is ‘nothing’ to see. It introduced a crowd that briefly resigned the dysfunctionality of the grandstand as a public space.

Photographs and plan of the Canódrom Meridiana. Photographic collection Català Roca.

Exhibition brochure Occupy a grandstand, Fundació Suñol, 2013

Text «A Crowd’s Tale: The Privilege of Distraction» de Sonia Fernández Pan.

Video HD (colour and audio)
45,43 min
2013

Video and sound recording: Rafa Ruiz, Xavi Ristol.

With the collaboration of the entities and associations of the Congrés neighbourhood and neighbouring districts: Agrupació de Joves del Congrés, Associació Gente Colgada, Ateneu Llibertari del Palomar, Ateneu Popular 9 Barris, Ateneu Popular Harmonia de Sant Andreu, AVV Congrés-Indians, AVV La Sagrera, AVV Meridiano Cero, AVV Vilapicina -Torre Llobeta, Casal El Caliu, Colla Gegantera de La Sagrera, Colla Jove de Barcelona, Comissió de Festes de la Sagrera, Dracs i Diables de la Sagrera, Esbart Joventut Nostra, Escola Circ Rogelio Rivel, Foto Can Basté, La Caldera, La Jarra Azul, La Sagrera Es Mou, Nau Ivanow, Radio RSK, Sagrera Samba, Taula de Treball Canòdrom, Turó Acció Sociocultural.

This project was carried out in the framework of the Beca Fundació Suñol/Can Xalant 2012 production grant from Fundació Suñol and Can Xalant. It was presented at Act 25: Luz Broto Ocupy a grandstand, Fundació Suñol, Barcelona, March 2013.