In the Studio: Os Casares and Espacio Vilaseco
Words and photos: Miguel Barbot
Fibranzas. Vegetal fibres lab with Jette Mellgren e Jan Johansen.
“Os Casares é un espazo polivalente, cultural e social que agroma entre os carballos nunha antiga granxa de vacas, situada na aldea de San Cristovo de Mouricios. Promove o encontro e o coñecemento desde a proximodade e a relación directa coas persoas e co territorio, e a través da inmersión no medio rural para “cultivar-nos”. Exponse como un proxecto relacional de vasos comunicantes e de conexións, que poñen en contacto a persoas diferentes con intereses comúns para ser, pensar, reflexionar, imaxinar, debater, intercambiar, crear e experimentar.”
1. Flax mill 2. Flax 3. Os Casares
It was the last days of summer, which in parts of the north-west of the peninsula already feel like autumn, when we finally visited Os Casares, an incredible space in Ribeira Sacra, in the heart of neighbouring Galicia.
The Casares project was conceived by Lola Vilaseco, the owner of what was once her family’s cattle farm and is now an important artistic and cultural centre with a strong community focus, seeking to strike a balance between rural and urban life, art, craft and agroecology, themes that are also central to what we do here at Saber Fazer and Barbot Bernardo.
Currently, the space includes different buildings dedicated to the visual arts and crafts. It is a space for creation, education, and research that provides accommodation for artists in residence or participants in various events, as well as common areas, workshops, and workrooms. A considerable part is occupied by the production space of Espacio Vilaseco, from the homonymous Galeria Vilaseco, which is based in A Coruña and is also responsible for an extensive programme taking place in Os Casares. Miriam Pérez, the face behind the gallery, is a key figure in the Galician art scene, with a long history that began with her mother, the gallery owner and collector Ana Vilaseco.
This visit had been promised for a long time. The invitation came from Lola, Alicia Comenge Segard (the other half of the power duo behind Los Casares) and Miriam. The aim of the visit, in addition to meeting each other in person and getting to know the space, was to explore some ideas that we had been discussing remotely, related to the production and processing of flax and linen, as well as others related to educational projects in various textile areas.
1. Wicker 2. Wherever you go, he goes with you 3. Miriam Pérez and Alice Bernardo 4. Fibranzas
Our first contact arose from our GatewayCrafts project and the Linen course, where the Galician team became acquainted with Saber Fazer and our technical expertise in the small-scale production and processing of this fibre.
After an initial online conversation, we identified some needs that we could respond to immediately, such as technical support in the field, or access to machinery such as a flax mill or our scutcher. Jorge Pinheiro, a close collaborator and, why not, ambassador for Saber Fazer in Galicia, has been active in the activities that have taken place in Os Casares since then, and is now a regular presence on the farm.
1. Jorge Pinheiro and Alicia Comenge Segard. 2-7 Espacio Vilaseco exhibiting the results of Fibranzas.
Our short stay took place during the final stages of Fibranzas, a project that exemplifies the type of activities that occur there. It is the result of close cooperation between Los Casares and Galeria Vilaseco, and its objective is the research and development of eco-social community projects based on the sustainable production of natural fibres. The programme began with the planning and start-up of wicker production. The participants in this project explored agroecological techniques such as permaculture and regenerative agriculture. These methods aim to revitalise the soil, biodiversity and rural communities through traditional natural practices that lead to less dependence on external resources.
1-10 Arte Contemporáneo y Fibras.
The gallery space is currently exhibiting the results of the ‘Arte Contemporáneo y Fibras’ workshop, led by artist Sonia Navarro and the designer Idoia Cuesta, a regular contributor to the space’s projects.
During the visit, we also had the opportunity to see the results of research that led to the development of paper produced from flax. A workshop dedicated to flax is also getting underway, with the support of the Artesanía de Galicia Foundation, which will be supported by our Jorge.
In addition to experimental cultivation areas, the farm also has its own horticultural production, supplying the kitchen and residences of the space.
1. Fibranzas. Vegetal fibres lab with Jette Mellgren e Jan Johansen. 2. Research as practice: wicker fences are long-lasting, beautiful and local. 3. Overview of the old stables 4. Showing who’s in charge. 4. The farm. 5. Experimental wicker plantation. 6-9 Such a pretty place. 10. Jorge Pinheiro. 11. Social area. 12. Don’t get it wrong: Os Casares is a hard-working place. 13 - 14. Alicia and Lola checking their vegetables garden..
Address Book:
Os Casares: San Cristovo de Mourucios 2 27510 Chantada, Lugo, Galicia - Spain / https://oscasares.com / @os_casares_
Galeria Vilaseco: C/ Padre Feijóo, 5-1º 15004 A Coruña, Galicia - Spain / https://www.vilaseco.com / https://espaciovilaseco.com / @galeriavilasecolab
Saber Fazer: Rua da Aliança 114, 4250-028 Porto, Portugal / http://saberfazer.org / @osaberfazer
