"Lurrazala"- Hotaru Visual Guerrilla

"Lurrazala" is a site-specific visual work created by Hotaru Visual Guerrilla, local artists from Donostia, and curated by Irma Vilà Òdena for the Kursaal façade. It will be on display from 12 to 15 September 2024 as part of Irekiak Gallery Weekend, in which Tabakalera is collaborating.

Lurrazala in Basque means "Skin of the earth". The word can have several meanings depending on the context, including the space that includes the elements of the earth that humans can see, i.e. where there is relief, mountains, valleys, rivers and lakes. 

The work seeks to explore how we perceive and remember the natural world, recognising that our experiences are often incomplete and fragmented. This work, which combines digital art and photography, with images captured by the artists themselves in the vicinity of the Kursaal waterfront, invites viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness and constant transformation of our world.

In this sense, a parallel can be drawn with the vision of the architect Rafael Moneo, who describes the cubes of the Kursaal as 'Two giant beached rocks that pay tribute to geography'. Similarly, the work transforms images of the coast of Gipuzkoa and its rock formations into a mosaic of fragments, creating a new visual perspective of reality, reminding us of the fragility of what we consider permanent.

Each fragment of the work challenges the viewer to reconstruct the images in their mind, revealing not only the beauty in complexity, but also the subjectivity of our perceptions. The piece shows how reality can be reinterpreted through different lenses and experiences, inviting us to explore the infinite richness of nature and our relationship with it.