Almudena Solana

Smile Revolution

2020

This dream is a trip to absence after my father’s death, to a world without sound, to the gap that exists between the branches of trees and memories. A trip to empty spaces, lacking sound and brightness. Nevertheless, it is a life-changing journey, going from sadness to happiness.

Why? Because there are joyful memories too, like muted fireworks dancing alongside sadness, like a curtain moving behind the window. As part of my final work, I made a video that shows the conceptual process that concludes in a final synthesis: Smile Revolution.

The reiteration of words, a tribute to the work of two artists, John Baldessari and Adam Greener, is the flag that guides the narration. However, beyond the words, symbols gain a lot of authority from images and objects, hence the pen without ink, the small globe, the pencil, the eraser, the lips.

It’s possible to mix fabrics and poetry. Fabric Poetry, like an artistic language, tells us the story from the lips that used to kiss. The process shows us the bridge that separates sad- ness from joy. In that moment, the six kisses featured in my dream become lips that encourage us to keep going.