BIANCOSHOCK
The artistic work carried out by Biancoshock in Circular consists of three different parts: on the one hand, he developed two conceptually deep projects -Rejalidad Diaria (Daily Re(j)ality) and Reja.zon-, which question the idea of security and focus on an element as widespread in its use as window bars (“rejas” in Spanish); on the other hand, he carried out a kind of “bonus track”, with an intervention of strong visual impact which transformed an architectural element of the public space.
REJALIDAD DIARIA / DAILY RE(J)ALITY
Starting from the idea of the lack of security in society, both physical and digital, the artist finds out that people seek or are even forced to use certain mechanisms to defend themselves from possible aggressions. This is clearly seen in the use of bars on the windows, especially on the lower floors, where, given the inaction of institutions or their failure to solve the lack of security problem, people opt to install a system of bars to defend their homes, something which occurs in all buildings in San Cristóbal.
The apparently innocuous fact that a window has bars is transformed by the artist's approach: when looking from the inside of the house to the outside, the opaque part of the bars implies that a certain percentage of the view, of what can be seen, is lost. To highlight this, he installs a series of plaques next to each window; these plaques are the exact size of the sum of the total surface of the bars. On each plaque, the artist has included information about the field of vision lost in exchange for security.
This way, a series of reflections and open questions are posed about how much of our freedom we must sacrifice for the sake of security: "would you sacrifice 10% of your daily reality in exchange for protection from a hypothetical danger?
Reja.Zon
Related to the issue of security, something unusual happens in San Cristóbal: courier companies do not deliver parcels to people's homes because the neighborhood is considered a dangerous area. People have to arrange a meeting point with the courier, usually at the entrance to the neighborhood, and meet him there to receive their parcel.
Based on the analysis of this situation, the artist creates a fake courier company, Reja-zon (a word play with Amazon and “reja”, the Spanish word for window bars), whose graphic image and name are inevitably reminiscent of the multinational Amazon, and whose packages are custom-made to enter (and fit exactly) through the gap between the bars of the windows of the houses. As an artistic action, Biancoshock, as a messenger, delivers the unique packages to the neighbors taking part in the project, a package which includes a certificate of authenticity of the unique artistic work. All of this is intended to call to attention, through irony and play, to the neighborhood's demand to be treated normally, even by the capitalist system, and not to be singled out and excluded.
EMPANADA
To round off the two projects, a small stall was set up in the street where all passers-by were offered a portion of “empanada” (a typical kind of pie usually stuffed with meat or tuna and vegetables). The two empanadas have the shape of two of the neighborhood's most iconic window bars. The empanada grilles were symbolically cut to create a moment of sharing, highlighting how to break down some barriers it is enough to carry out small, everyday, collective gestures.
As a culmination, a printed publication contains a detailed account of Biancoshock's work in Circular, which can be read and downloaded in digital format below.
Bonus track: Metro
As a nice and eye-catching bonus track, Biancoshock transforms the outside of a typical residential building in the neighborhood into a Madrid Metro carriage, thus generating impact and curiosity among passers-by.
BIANCOSHOCK (ItalY)
He conceives the city as a stage where he carries out interventions that surprise neighbors and passers-by, forcing them to reflect through irony and provocation.