Déu, ciència i llibertat

DÉU, CIÈNCIA I LLIBERTAT (God, Science & Freedom)

Vicenç Altaió, Joan Fontcuberta

2006

Asking for and giving blood involves a gesture saturated with symbols and emotions. What is symbolic in the order of content corresponds to what is symbolic in the process itself, because these three images, made with the blood of loved ones, also talk about transparency and opacity: the resistance of a material to be penetrated by light, in a metaphor that involves notions of truth. Ultimately the Hemograms draw us to delve into forms of impression, of vestiges, that is to say in the nature of the document as a trace.

Only with effort will the spectator be able to identify the origins of images that appear closer to a fantastical imaginary than to the description of something so vital and familiar. Because it is only with effort – that of thought and sensitivity- can we identify the origin of everything: God, Science, Freedom.

Joan Fontcuberta

The aluminium box contains a fold-out book made with glass, felt, and blood. The text, by Vicenç Altaió, is made up of three decalogues. There is 1 for God, 1 for Science, and 1 more for Freedom. When the triptych is folded, the three decalogues rest, one on top of each other, and embrace the blood it contains.

The images, conceived by Joan Fontcuberta, are taken from three drops of blood of three different donors –friends– fixed on a strip of transparent acetate. Once coagulated, the blood is used as a photographic cliché. The image the cliché is etched on glass using the sandblasting technique. With this technique the sand scratches the glass, the roughened surface of the engraved surface being able to hold the pigment. Subsequently, the glass is inked up, in red ink the colour of blood, like the matrix of an etching. The opaque and warm blood fixed on the cold, transparent surface of the glass.

This book was presented by Joan Fontcuberta, Vicenç Altaió and Tinta Invisible at the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (MACBA) in 2006.

The edition contains:

1 book made up of 3 tempered glass plates, sandblasted and inked up, mounted on an articulated aluminium base, and a felt sleeve with screen-printed texts.

3 texts by Vicenç Altaió.

3 images by Joan Fontcuberta.

1 aluminium, screen-printed box.

Graphic design by Jaume Roure.

The edition is made up of:

33 copies, signed and numbered from 1/33 to 33/33.

2 HC copies, signed and numbered from HC I/II to HC II/II.