Kaffeemitte & We do Art Blog proudly present:
"CASI GRATIS"
by
Casa De Balneario
10 prints & 2 paste-ups by Montevideo-based street artist Casa De Balneario.
"Art has always been a part of my life, since I was a child I liked art and I loved painting. My parents then brought me to a course where children learn to paint. Later, after school, I went to an art institute, learned art history and tried different techniques. When I was about 20 y.o., I started painting the style like now as Casa de Balneario. With a lot of black ink! I liked the look, but I still didn't have a steady direction. I didn't have the right concept! And because I didn't know what to say yet, there were no texts on the pictures.
Then I started to study literature and stopped painting completely. I wrote two books. The first book in 2010, the second in 2017 - the third will be published in 2023. They are short stories and it's about work. One story is about a man who has to wear a funny costume to work, another one about someone who notices a physical change since he's been in his new job. They are ironic stories, funny observations and characters. I like Franz Kafka or the poet Nicanor Parra....
I often wonder about the statements I hear and the realities that people accept. With humour, I want to to ask questions. What do I get for working that much? A new car? Why do I have to constantly buy something new? With my art I want to make people think by creating a distance from everyday life.
I soon knew what I wanted to say in my short stories - but it wasn't until relatively late, I was already an author, that I started painting again. At that time I wanted to publish a magazine, it should be - of course - about the subject work.
The pictures I painted for the magazine had all text. I picked up various phrases and painted them as quotes on the pictures. I painted the sentences on my works and that was the beginning of Casa de Balneario. I was 36 years old and I finally had an idea of what I wanted to paint.
There are many dangerous and violent places all over the continent. Uruguay and Montevideo are fortunately peaceful and balanced as a society. The middle class is the largest group in the country. There is a long tradition of social and liberal policies - for example, women's voting rights have existed since 1932, same-sex marriage is possible since 2013, and marijuana is legal. Uruguay had the first welfare state in South America. As a result, the gap between rich and poor was relatively small and Uruguay was able to develop well.
Unfortunately, we are currently in the process of deconstructing this useful order. The neoliberal spirit has been spreading in our country for the last few years. And this is slowly but surely being felt. There are now neighbourhoods in Montevideo where you are no longer safe. That didn't exist when I was young. There used to be many places that people shared. For example, the beach. People from all walks of life met there, there was an exchange. But little by little, different forces are trying to privatize as much as possible. Beaches, the health care system, of course, and the housing market. Consumption is seen as a universal solution, short-term profit counts! This creates inequality and is then the cause of urban violence in our neighbouring countries. As private schools are getting better and better, but also smaller and smaller, this division has long-term consequences - good education for everyone has always been a basic principle of politics in Uruguay.
I want to do something about these developments and art is my tool. The tradition of political art in South America has created its own look. Political demands are painted on the walls in large letters. I also see myself as an activist, a graphic-activist.”
Gasoline
2021 / Montevideo / Ink on Paper
Pasted in: Montevideo / Barcelona
"When I was in Berlin, I saw burned cars on the street frequently, then later pictures in punk-aesthetics, with cars on fire. Burning cars to protest seem to have a certain tradition in Berlin. I knew the fire as a symbol of protest, but in Uruguay, it's more common to burn old tires - but not cars. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that the car is much more unnecessary in Germany, especially in a city like Berlin. The practical value of a car is higher in Uruguay because there is no public transportation. To burn something that valuable - even with good intentions - would be simply decadent. Especially since a burned car would probably not be covered by insurance and thus someone could experience real bankruptcy.
Nevertheless, nowadays the car is actually seen critically everywhere. Mostly it is about the emissions of cars and about gasoline consumption. It's about CO2 and climate change. All of these are very important topics - but my painting is not a criticism of the car as such. To burn one, I think, is not very effective.
In my picture, the fire stands for the burning desire for more material. The car is an icon of our consumer society and the desire to own more and more, to burn and destroy more and more. It is about a sort of capitalism that costs people more than it gives them. It is about consumption that is not sustainable. Climate change is only one of the phenomena that threaten our existence. Species extinction, microplastics, polluted air - none of this is solved if we just drive less. So I'm more interested in exploring the desire for a fancy car, that is, for an object that we don't actually need. Perhaps to ridicule this dream somewhat, to expose it as a kind of fetish. With my work, I try to address the problem rather than the symptom. So less to criticize the car as such, but rather to show that behind climate change and the destruction of our habitat stands a value system that is not sustainable."
¿Ahora qué hago?
2022 / Montevideo / Ink on Paper
Pasted in: Montevideo
“I heard someone saying this strange sentence exactly like that. I am done with work, what now? - Ya trabaje ¿Ahora que hago? I immediately liked the sound of the phrase, it's banal and somehow funny - but the significance of the question is existential. The words also look very nicely written and I knew I had found a new typography for a poster.
Then I worked on the image for a long time, because I liked the sentence better than the pictures I painted to it. I also made some adjustments to this final motif: this man used to have arms and legs. But this way the type stands even more central in the picture and that is important to me.
Work is one of the main topics throughout my artistic career. I've written two books on the subject and as Casa de Balneario I've made countless paste-ups about it.
In this picture, the man is sad because he doesn't know the answer to his question. Apparently, it's unknown to him what he is up for, and what he would like to spend his time on.
Even if you enjoy your work, you should ask yourself what else there is to do in life. I love working on my paintings, my book or a magazine. To go out at night to glue a poster or to edit a text. The work seems meaningful to me and I do it regardless of any financial interest. Nevertheless, it is work and I sometimes miss out on things that also mean quality of life to me. For example, reading, watching movies or walking along the coast.
By writing the question 'Ya trabaje ¿Ahora que hago?' on a print and pasting it in public space, it becomes a rhetorical question. This slightly grotesque sentence is, hopefully, an encouragement: Keep searching constantly for the things in life that make you happy."
Mentiras a todo color
2022 / Montevideo / Ink on Paper
Pasted in: Montevideo
“Televisions are a bit outdated in principle, and a vacuum tube TV, in particular, is an icon - it stands for a concept and not for a specific item. In my work, just like cars or cell phones, televisions stand for materialism and consumerism. We are told that we cannot live without these things. It's a lie that tells us we need a new TV to bring colour back into our lives. 'Mentiras' is the lie of the salesman. But there's something else in it too - TV sets are also symbols of news on traditional channels. Something I have never engaged with artistically before: Media criticism.
I saw a new music video by Rammstein, using the same motif. In the video, people are glued to their news and trapped in black/white fear. Only when the band smashes a TV set to pieces the image becomes colourful. The criticism in the video is a phenomenon that can be observed everywhere in the world.
That so-called New Media, which spreads mostly via smartphones, are not to be trusted, has been understood since Bolsonaro, Brexit and Cambridge Analytica. But that the long-established press, which used to provide guidance, also used manipulation and fear-mongering during Corona was disappointing.
As if they saw the pandemic as an opportunity to play an important role again. Far too often, journalists spread anxiety and failed to provide balanced information. Criticism of media has thus become widespread, a massive distrust - and I am also impacted by it.
There are four TV channels in Uruguay, one of which is public. Unfortunately, they are all equally senseless. Hours of uninspired entertainment, in between so-called news, mostly sensationalism. They no longer talk to their audience as if we were adults!
At the same time, I would like to see a good public news program. Because if news media primarily serves to generate profits, conflicts of interest arise. The problem with public news is not that they are funded by the state, i.e. by its citizens - it becomes problematic when politicians and lobbyists can control the content - as has been the case in the last two years.”
A toda velocidad
2022 / Montevideo / Ink on Paper
Pasted in: Montevideo
"This work is inspired by artists David Shrigley. He paints, like me, simple drawings and writes small, ironic comments on them. I bought his book with a wonderful race car when I was in Berlin and then painted one myself. I love to paint cars and this one is especially fast. The car is a symbol - this poster stands for the question of why one should work to buy a car to drive to work?! And a sports car to rush even more? We run behind work, isn't that strange?
With this question in mind, I started to think about a matching phrase for the drawing. And I found one in an older work of mine. So I'm not only copying David Shrigley, but I'm also copying myself. I use the same sentences again and again. Sometimes phrases from my posters appear in one of my short stories, sometimes it's the other way around. I'm mono-thematic you might say, I stick to my themes: Money, cars, rent, consumer society, work.
When I was in Berlin, from my travelers perspective, I had the impression that people enjoy working more than in Uruguay. If people are friendly at work, that's an indication that they're not that unhappy. This is probably related to how meaningful the work seems to you, what you get for it, and how much you have to work. I, too, like to work most of the time. Nevertheless, I've let myself get totally stressed out. I have found myself in under time pressure and with dangerous high adrenaline levels - especially when driving a car. I swear, honk and tailgate - memorably with a direct correlation to the motorization power of my vehicle. And always because I am late on my way to work!
So I came to the realization that it doesn't necessarily matter if you like to work or not. If you're rushing, if you're stressed, speeding through the city because of work - then something is going wrong."
Lo Compré
2022 / Montevideo / Ink on Paper
Pasted in: Montevideo
"You can buy this poster. Customers from Europe should order at We do Art Sales, shipping costs are low. And on my store, you can find more great art - at insanely low prices $ Now, this information is somewhat contradictory to the content and idea of the poster itself. The inconsistency can't be overlooked and is confusing for me, as a consumerism-critical artist.
I was in Buenos Aires last week, at a book fair. Booksellers, publishers, editors and authors were invited. Since I am part of a collective of small publishers in Uruguay, I was able to rent a booth there with my colleagues. The audience was very interested and sociable and they complimented me. We had good conversations, inspired by the themes of my work. With the mixture of text and painting, I was somewhat of an exception and I sold a lot of prints. Of course, I was very happy about that.
Now it could be that one of my clients rolls up the new poster at home and suddenly realizes that in a shopping rush he has grabbed something that he no longer likes. He may even have to cry. I wouldn't like that - which is why I continuously warn against buying too much. I decided that an easy return policy and cheap prices can reduce the risk of sad customers. Yes, the question of the right retail price for my prints is complex - which is why I am constantly adjusting it in my shop. And I like the serial multiplication of my art, which makes it cheaper - to improve value for money. Nevertheless, the sale, especially of this poster, remains a dilemma. How big must be the doubts of an artist who has sold a work for a million!?"
Un alquiler bajo, sueño de Muchos
2020 / Montevideo / Ink on Paper
Pasted in: Montevideo / Barcelona / Berlin
"This image is a mix of themes that often appear in my work. People's dreams. What do we dream of and what price are we willing to pay? And of course the subject of rent, housing - one of my most central themes. What is missing to make the dream of cheap rent a reality? My work is an ironic statement on the consequences of capitalism on the housing market and the right of everyone to have a place to live. 'Un Alquiler Bajo, Sueno de Muchos' is part of a series, alongside motives with the same theme I made for the Argentinian 'Inquilinos Agrupados' and their campaign 'Casas vacías son un crimen'. I'm happy to see the print displayed next to Volksbühne - as part of an event by 'Deutsche Wohnen und Co. enteignen'. It has good potential when people who think alike, are connected worldwide. Through my art, I can perhaps make a small contribution to this. I hope many Berliners understood the text on the print and see that they are not alone."
✍️ The "Initiative Deutsche Wohnen & Co enteignen" collected votes for a referendum in Berlin. 59% supported the initiative with over one million signatures - far more votes than any political party has in the city. What the initiative demands are laws that prohibit owning more than 2000 flats. The state would re-socialise flats accordingly, i.e. buy them back. Private individuals would not be affected. Only some companies that own hundreds of thousands of flats and their investors. There are cases where out of 100€ paid as rent, 25€ go to investors. DWE is also an initiative against the concentration of ownership. It was upsetting to hear the arguments politicians used to discredit and hinder the initiative. This is damaging to democracy. This is not an economic question, it's a political question. If 59% are in favour of real changes, politics should not ignore them. Their behaviour makes increasingly fewer people go to the polls at all and endorses distrust in the system as such. The consequences can currently be seen in Italy.
Si pagas, todo ok
2018 / Montevideo / Ink on Paper
Pasted in: Berlin / Barcelona / Montevideo / Buenos Aires
"If you pay, everything is good. If you pay, you can just take whatever you want. If you pay you get in, if you pay you can be happy. It's obviously crazy, but capitalism promises us all that. It's a way of life and I question that concept.
The guy on the poster looks a bit like Barbie's husband, it's a beauty ideal of the 50s and 60s. A man in a suit, with clean haircut and strong chin is an archetype, as we know him from comics and movies. He grins and is very confident of himself and believes firmly in his worldview. He is convinced that the market will manage everything perfectly.
This person lives in a materialistic world - and it's not a particularly sustainable one. An ideal in which people have long believed: it is called the American Dream. And even though zeitgeist and beauty ideals have changed, some of the principles of those years have remained. Still today the myth of eternal growth, of production and consumption, of money and material serves as a guide through life. The free market became an obsession to be protected against all evidence.
But more and more people see the hubris of technology-believers and the arrogance and double standards of those who, by pure chance, are born into a world where they can eat more than they can ever digest. I have noticed that many people can relate to this motif. Maybe people share my observation, they know the terrible truth behind this joke. And if we can't do much about it, at least we make fun of it."
Entrevista
2018 / Montevideo / Ink on Paper
Pasted in: Berlin / Barcelona / Montevideo / Buenos Aires
"I have made various pictures and texts on the subject of job Interviews. This one is inspired by dark and surreal paintings by the Spanish artist Javier Mayoral*. And just as dark and surreal were the job interviews I had in my life. Or of which I have heard. The job interview is a myth, a symbol of great power imbalances. It can be cruel or absurd - as the haircut of the lady in my painting.
At the job interview, you try to portray the person you think you are wanted to be. It is a masquerade, a pressure to disguise. One chooses a certain hairstyle, and certain clothes and acts after rehearsed tactics. We strive to show a lovely surface of ourselves. Of course, all this is part of life - but it becomes problematic when only one of the two parties has to fake it. Then it can lead to Kafkaesque situations, to abuse of power of the worst kind.
No one should be forced to wear a certain hairstyle just because of someone else's opinion. Like the woman in my picture, for example, who actually only looks good with hairstyle five. But who had to wear all the other hairstyles too - just because I wanted her to."
Casi gratis
By
Casa De Balneario
1st July - 1st September 2022
KAFFEEMITTE Weinmeisterstraße 9a, 10178 Berlin
We do Art Blog / Gregor Hutz / 2022