POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Exposició de Rubén Antón. Retrats per a un segle XXI dissident.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES PRORROGADA FINS AL 30 SET 2021 EXHIBITION CATALOG L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
THE BEST OF BEING NOBODY, IS THAT YOU CAN BE ANYTHING.
For the first time in Sitges, after 3 months exhibited in Barcelona, you are able to enjoy this art exhibition by Rubén Antón that includes the complete collection of the 12 works printed on canvas, which add up a total of 25 vector portraits belonging to the launch of the third calendar of Drag is Burning 2021 and an extra canvas that includes his successful work SI MAIRENA LEVANTA- SE LA CABEZA with the image of a 50 pesetas coin from 1957, legal tender belonging to the Fransquista regime, with the portrait of the transvestite dictator Franco with the iconic Carmen de Mairena’s outfit, LGTBIQ+ icon of Barcelona’s Raval district.
Exhibition from April 1st to September 30th 2021 at the gallery L’ART I CAFÉ (Carrer Joan Tarrida 10-12 - Sitges)
With this, the author proposes to give space to reflection on NEOTRAVESTISMO as a result of history and how some referents, sometimes so unjustly invisible to the great social mass, can liberate and empower the dissi- dent artistic community.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Rubén Antón Palma de Mallorca,1984
An artist raised in Madrid and, as he himself says, “spoi- led” in the Raval of Barcelona. His vector portraits were exhibited for the first time in 2018 under the framework of his DRAG IS BURNING project, which closed 2019 with 6 LGTBIQ collective art exhibitions in collaboration with other artists.
His personal project recovers the transvestite history of transformism and Barcelona drag from the s. XIX with Leopoldo Frégoli, Edmont de Bries and Ernesto Foliers, passing through Madame Arthur, Paco España, Violeta la Burra and Carmen de Mairena up to the present day, thus offering a pioneering journey on the subject.
He is currently working on different monographic art pro- jects on the lives of transsexual and transformist vede- ttes from the rogue Barcelona of the Spanish transition and has a podcast channel with interviews with relevant characters from the Spanish and Barcelona queer sce- ne that is currently in its third season and in 2020 it has been heard in 28 countries.
www.dragisburning.com https://instagram.com/ruben_anton https://instagram.com/dragisburning
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Photography Gege Mos for The Pink Monkey
PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE TransformismO, dragqueenismO y neotravestismo
This exhibition is a journey as real as it is ephemeral. A personal journey that connects me with the past. A past that is not told, a past that if it is not told is forgotten.
This exhibition talks about the struggle and struggle against oblivion. The oblivion of those who have not had a voice. A voice that lasts over time thanks to those who bothered to record it.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
This exhibition is a record. My record. A personal record that only intends to share what other people have tau- ght me. People, first of all, who make me feel that what they did was incredible. People who inspire me. People who would be delighted to know that a queer graphic designer, in the midst of a global pandemic, applauds her work even decades after her fight and in some ca- ses decades after her death.
This exhibition is an excuse to delve into our history as transvestites, dykes and queers. A place where I can meet characters who have taught me a lot from yester- day and I sincerely hope that they also make you think and reflect on the world we want for today, and especia- lly for tomorrow.
I cannot change the Iberian transvestite past for a better one, but I can celebrate it with pride. This is my main objective with this exhibition.
I want invite you to celebrate with me the freedom that NEOTRAVESTISM offers us, here and now. Thanks!
Ruben Anton
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Si Mairena levan- tase la cabeza...
Vector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Ene-
Vector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax
L’ARTro I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Leopoldo Fregoli This singular Italian artist is cre- world with some shows in which dited with the creation of scenic Fregoli was the only protagonist on transformism. Heterosexual and stage. married with children, he appea- red on stage imitating “more than Their speed when changing costu- a hundred characters” according mes continues to appear in the dic- to the media of the time, both male tionary when we look up the word and female. ‘transformista’ and also in 1989 the psychologist Henry Ey in his She passed through Barcelona for ‘Manuel de Psychiatrie’ gave the the first time in 1890 and his period name to the Fregoli Syndrome, of a of activity was from the end of the paranoid nature, which consists in 19th century until the second repu- believing that all people are actua- blic (1930s), traveling around the lly the same person.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Edmond de Bries She became known for being the ge with his sister Magdalena de dressmaker of the best cupletists Bries who was a dancer. of the early 20th century and later began his career as a star imper- It is worth mentioning that, in ad- sonator in 1912. dition to the imitations, she incor- porated cuples of the maestro Font Originally from Cartagena, this ar- and successful composers of the tist had an insatiable desire to wear time. The writer Juan Carlos Usó feathers on the Spanish, European published a book about this cha- and American stages. racter entitled “Transvestite pri- de: Egmont de bries and the social Her period of greatest activity was repercussions of transformism in during the Second Spanish Repu- Spain in the first third of the 20th blic where he used to work on sta- century.”
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Fe - breroVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Didi Maquiaveli For me one of the most powerful celebrities in Barcelona today. Goddess who represents luxury and quality. Didi Maquiaveli means the ‘divineo’ on stage, the value of the image in editorials and the high class from another planet in fashion shows.
All this supported with effort, constant reinvention and what it takes to maintain the night life, working night and day, maintaining professiona- lism and good taste without losing the essence of the woman behind the character.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Virginia Hielo Young artist from the underground queer scene of Barcelona’s Raval who this year has published two books, the first entitled Melting Ice that talks about relational anachy, using as an example the personal relationships that marked his 2019 and the second Sea Foam that includes photo- graphy, illustration and introspection poetics. Both books presented at Candy Darling in Barcelona.
In the current situation and given the high unemployment rates for trans people, it has launched a campaign through the gofundme platform for those who want to help pay for their transition.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Mar- zoVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Mimi Pompóm Transformism artist weighing more than 100 kilograms of solid gold who became known in the 1980s with La Belle Epoque, a Music-Hall show directed by the genius of the show Dolly Van Doll, where the Luz de Gas club currently resides in Barcelona.
Mimi Pompóm always used humor in her transformism creating cha- racters that were a fantasy and what she transmits to me in her per- formances is the tenderness of a big baby. That same tenderness that went beyond the screen and made her connect with the public who saw her both live and through TV3 from their homes.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Manel Dalgó As a young dancer, she began in Barcelona transformismo in the 1980s with the super star vedette of the parallel Ana Lúpez, who owned the mythical ‘Barcelona de Noche’.
She directed her own company in a stage of Spanish transformismo where teamwork, the performing arts, dance, theater, variety shows and the entertainment of an audience that attended her shows, both in Spain and Europe, prevailed and demanding excellence. Today she re- sides in Monaco and is remembered for her generosity, dedication and professionalism.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
A - brilVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Wayúu Queen Venezuelan actress and stage artist who has developed her transfor- mism in Barcelona after a more than successful career in Venezuela, even awarded in different artistic projects.
For me it is an example of how from the academic part of theater, from study and good training, can successfully navigate between cultures and genres. I think she enriches our local scene with unique and hi- gh-quality content in her performances.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Geri Lavatza Caribbean drag artist based in Barcelona who started dragging in 2013. She has overwhelming energy and in addition to dancing voguing, she designs and sews her own costumes.
She is in the constant struggle to go against the current and I always keep her in mind because I consider that she has a great responsibility with the collective, since at this moment she is the only black transves- tite who acts in the alternative scene of Barcelona’s Raval.
Currently, THE PINK MONKEY has created a young design and manufac- turing firm specialized in handmade bow ties and recycled second-hand clothes by Gege Mos, his queer alter ego.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Ma- yoVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Derkas It is said that this artist who ac- lla Chelito. In the Second Republic, ted as a baritone came to trans- the city of Barcelona was very at formism o by chance in the se- the fore in transformismo shows cond decade of the 20th century since in the first third of the cen- (1910s-1920s) by replacing the tury, thanks to the influence left by first tiple of the show ‘Bohemios’, Fregoli, imitators of national stars her success was such that she flourished. worked for a time with his brother Rafael promoting themself as ‘Los A funny story about Derkas was Derkas, Franco-Italian-Spanish the uproar when she won a fema- duetists’. le beauty contest in Berlin, turning her participation into a scandal for Her most prominent imitations the time. were of Pastora Imperio or La Be-
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Ernesto Foliers She is considered the first Spani- At that time, the most recognized sh transformista and star imper- artists that she imitated singing sonator. She made her debut at and acting were cupleists such as the Novedades Theater in 1908, La Bella Otero, La Fornarina, Ra- the same place where Edmond de quel Meller, Adelita Lulú or Paqui- Bries would make his debut a few ta Escribano, among others. One years later. detail that I find super interesting to mention is that she danced ba- The media of the time say that llroom dances with his wife who “bored of not finding contracts as was part of the show, just as she a man, he set about looking for did at that time with other fellow them imitating women.” transformistas.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Ju- nioVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Arca For me more than the present re- rrero on the Rambla del Raval and presents the future of transves- the MACBA with characters from tism. She has been able to elevate the local dissident scene, making the expression of the transvestite the collective visible and carrying gender to a digital, virtual and ro- her message with force. botic world. In her own words she said: “De- This artist and music producer cu- fiant the brilliant Terminator An- rrently resides in Barcelona and a gels; baptizing the land on which few months ago she did a photo- they walk, dignified, regal, hard, graphic report with Carlota Gue- soft, fine and elegant ”.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Cacao An A R T I S T with all the letters, What I like the most about her per- she knows how to sing, she knows sonal and musical discourse is that how to dance, she knows how to she wants to speak in her songs interpret… A few months ago she about her life experience as a trans told me that she is preparing her person from total empowerment, first musical project in which she from the grip, strength and from invites us to “enjoy life living total loving herself totally reconnecting fantasy, being divine and goddes- and being at peace with her girl ses”. inside.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Ju-
V ector designlio printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Pirondello Valencian actor and transformis- king your hair stand on end. She li- ta of varieties who died in 2019. ved in Barcelona in the 1980s and For me Pirondello is one of the few became one of the best-known characters that remained alive characters in the Parallel. with the pure essence of traditio- nal transformism. Each character She worked alongside artists such she created or imitated had some- as Lila Clavel ‘La Maña’, Eva León thing unique and unforgetable. and Ana Lúpez in venues such as El Molino, Teatre Arnau and Bar- Her imitations of stars like Marlene celona de Noche club, where she Dietrich or Edith Piaf in which she won the 1983 FAD Juan Sebastía changed her aura and energy on Gasch prize for paratheatrical arts. stage were very remarkable, ma-
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Pierrot Multifaceted artist who made llo, Elianne, Yeda Brown and Yani cross-dressing an art that brought Forner, first trans woman trans to together spectacle and culture. It star in a spanish cinema film with began in the Barcelona theaters in the film director Carles Balagué. the 1970s with works written, per- formed and directed by herself. She also liked to draw and sing a lot, leading him to publish several One of his greatest recognitions LPs and cassettes, one of them was writing and presenting va- entitled “The King of Transvesti- rious shows in the Barcelona de tes” in 1978 that contained songs Noche and Gay Club venues in Ma- with titles that challenged censor- drid where he worked in the 1980s ship such as “Homosexual” or “I with the best artists of the moment am gay.” such as Madame Arthur, Pironde-
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Ago- stoVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Violeta la Burra On January 30th of 2020, the She started acting as a transves- newspapers headlined: ‘Violeta la tite on weekends and shared the Burra dies, a transformismo icon stage with Antonio Machín and during the Franco regime and a Estrellita Castro. Years later she symbol of Catalan cabarets where worked at the Sala Barcelona de she always performed in the fla- Noche where she became friends menco key.’ with Salvador Dalí and later wor- ked in the corps de ballet for Lola For me, she is an unrepeatable Flores shows. Her greatest inter- character, an icon of the street and national success was at the Sala of the night, who dressed as a wo- Paradis in Paris where she worked man in the most difficult moments for two years until she decided to of the Franco regime and worked return to Spain to take care of his in the fashion stores of that pioneer mother. She published several al- Barcelona in LGBTQ+ defenses bums in LP and cassette with re- due to the diversity of free identity. cordings of her performances.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Carmen de Mairena Artist and artist who until the Spa- time when our group was perse- nish transition was known as the cuted by police harassment and artistic name of Miguel de Maire- mistreatment when applying the na. She worked as a drag queen in Law of vagrants and crooks and the most outstanding halls of Bar- the Law of public scandal. She celona in the 1950s and 1960s. For was always ready to defend the me, more than a character, she is rights of dissent on the street and an icon of the Raval who proudly positioned herself as an icon of the walked the name of the neighbor- popular contracultura. She passed hood wherever she went. away in March 2020 and I hope that she will always be remembe- It should be noted the importance red and adored for her impuden- it had in the fight of sex workers ce and sincerity on Spanish public and trans people since it lived a television.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Sep-
tiembreVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Madame Arthur In the midst of the Franco dictator- the capital, and I find it very inte- ship, she was the first artist who resting to note that clients from all had the courage to cross-dress on over Spain came to see the shows stage. At that time she presented that took place in Barcelona. himself to the public as Mister Ar- thur and it was not until the dea- Madame Arthur sang, danced, and th of the dictator that she chan- messed with people. She always ged her name to Madame Arthur, sang live accompanied by a band becoming a living myth of that old with more than 10 musicians and fashion Francoist Spain. she even had as a spectator Fe- derico Fellini, to whom she had a She started out as a presenter at number dedicated. She spent 3 the Gambrinus Cabaret and soon months in jail accused of public began to dress as a woman. I keep scandal by ‘Incognito’, a company thinking that at that time Barcelona where 30 men dressed as women was much freer than Madrid, per- performed. All ahead of its time haps because of the distance from without a doubt.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Paco España It is said of Paco that he was the and had two children with his wife best known transformista of the Manuela. On stage she sang live Spanish transition. For me she was with her orchestra and she loved a transvestite beast of the stage to imitate Paloma San Basilio and like few others in his time. Of Ca- the great Lola Flores, dressed with narian origin, she began singing bata de cola. on the radio imitating Joselito. Well known are the ladybug jokes She came to Barcelona seeking that she told between song and her fortune with the intention of song in her shows in Spain and dedicating herself to show busi- at the Gay Club in Madrid. For me ness. It didn’t take long for her to she will be remembered by phra- find her niche and she ended up ses like “No somos machos, pero at the ‘Barcelona de noche’ caba- somos muchas!” and how right ret where her success was unsto- she was. ppable. In Barcelona she married
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Oc- tubreVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Anarcoma I could not do this exhibition wi- What stands out most about Anar- thout remembering the first trans- coma is that Nazario presented her vestite character of the Spanish extremely empowered, with a cool and possibly international under- big cock robot next to her that gave ground comix. her hard sex when she wanted and moving through the streets of that A creation by the illustrator Nazario Barcelona of the 1980s in which Luque who broke borders by ma- she crossed between her comic king visible, perhaps without ex- vignettes characters like Ocaña pressly intending it, I am not sure, and her friends. the day-to-day night and day life of a transsexual detective like Anar- coma in the national magazine El Víbora.
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La Moreno Granaína transvestite (from Gra- Raval who allowed her to reconci- nada) and art historian that we le with the History of Art and from can currently see in La Federica de this interview a book was born en- Poble Sec, both doing a raffle and titled: ‘Decollage, Mónica del Raval reading letters. Yes, I mean the le- as avant-garde ‘, an essential book tter reading thing and she does it for people like me who marvel at very well too. the different projects and why a book that talks about a prostitute In 2015 she wanted to interview in the Raval is written by a trans- Mónica del Raval, a sex worker and vestite art historian. iconic character on the streets of
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
No-
viembreVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Vianor Mirco These two transformists worked at Miró, Salvador Dalí and the architect El Molino del Palelo in the 1930s af- Le Corbusier. Mirco for his part was ter Barcelona’s success at the 1929 the only one who continued working International Exposition. on the show once the Spanish Civil War arrived. Thanks to the success of Edmond de Bries in the 1920s, many imitators During the Franco dictatorship, the of stars such as Vianor and Mirco ‘official’ track of many artists was emerged who are directly related to lost and transformismo was rele- the labor gap opened first by Frego- gated exclusively to the theater and li, then Foliers and then De Bries, as cabarets of the time. well as the support that these types of shows had among variety entre- Even so, clandestine parties are be- preneurs. ing held in the back room of different Raval venues, behind closed doors Vianor became “the pretty girl” of in the dressing rooms of the Parallel the art critic, writer and journalist theaters once the shows are over Sebastiá Gasch, a friend of Joan and hidden from the security forces.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Diciem-
breVector design printed on canvas 100x100cm · Price 575€ + tax L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Las Marikarmen To end this exhibition and occupying companied by electrical appliances, the month of December in the Drag wind instruments and keyboards. is Burning 2021 calendar, I wanted to portray Las Marikarmen. A group They have just released on Decem- that I adore made up of Contámina ber 17, 2020 their first album entit- Perpetua, Capitano Barbacoño and led ‘Compost your gender’ with 11 Victoria Sickness. author songs with titles such as: ‘The egg comes out of my skirt’, ‘8000 Three international musicians with a dildos’,’ Ladyboi ‘ and ’ Tears of cis local and transvestite soul, living in men ‘. I sincerely hope that 2021 the Collserola mountain on the outs- will bring you a lot of success and kirts of Barcelona. With their band you will take a ’NEOTRAVESTISMO’ they offer direct songs of their own through the best and worst places in and scenes from everyday life ac- Spain, Europe and the world.
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021 POR RUBÉN ANTÓN
Calendar
2021Size 16x15cm / 13 pages 200gr paper · Price 10€ / unit
L’ART I CAFÉ · SITGES 01 / 04 / 2021 - 30 / 09 / 2021