SPANISH CULTURE

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen

Let me start by expressing my gratitude to the National Museums of Kenya for hosting, once again, an exhibition of the Spanish Embassy. This shows our mutual and firm commitment with the dissemination of culture as a vehicle for mutual understanding, as well as for personal and social enrichment.

Culture, in the present troublesome days, is a very important vehicle to close gaps between civilizations. It is, no doubt, a peaceful weapon that helps building bridges amongst people and, therefore, it is a very powerful deterrent for conflicts.

That is why I am particularly pleased with the exhibition we are presenting tonight, because this exhibition is about Flamenco, and flamenco represents very much that spirit of understanding and peaceful coexistence I am referring to.

Flamenco, as you know, is probably one of the most characteristic expressions of the multifaceted Spanish culture.

It is a very ancient artistic expression that emerged from the South of Spain (mainly from Andalusia) and it grew out through the interaction of many different cultures that lived together in that part of Spain for centuries – including the Moorish (from Northern Africa), the Jews, the original Spaniards, and especially the Gypsies.

Later on, in a further step in the evolution, after the Spaniards set their feet in America, rhythms from the Caribbean and South America have also influenced the evolution of Flamenco. It is then easy to understand that this artistic expression is the result of a long multicultural interaction throughout centuries, cultures and civilizations.

Flamenco is, definitely, the most refined expression of inter cultural and interethnic friendship. And I would even say that it is more that an art: It is also a way of life, a philosophy, and, sometimes, even a religion, with its very own rites and functions

And because of its universal projection, Flamenco is easy to understand, appreciate and enjoy, whichever your cultural background is.

It has been described in many ways, but I like the following definitions: Flamenco as an answer given in an exotic language, Flamenco as a remedy against hatred or suffering, and maybe the best one, Flamenco as the treasure of those who have nothing.

Because of all of the above, and much more, because of these universal values and its uniqueness, Flamenco was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, in this city of Nairobi, in November 2010.

I am proud to say that such declaration represents an important milestone not only for Flamenco, but also for the recognition of Spanish culture as a strong vehicle for interculturalism in our global world.

Let me now say a few words about the exhibition and the artist.

 “INSTANTES CON DUENDE” or simply “FLAMENCO FACES”, is a photo exhibition that showcases over 30 different photography shots of flamenco artists while in performance.

The exhibition will run for one whole month in this Museum, during which we will screen two movies “Alma Gitana” (Gipsy Soul) and “La Leyenda del Tiempo” (The Legend of Time) about the world of flamenco. The films will be shown in a continuous way, throughout two days, on Thursday the 18^th and Thursday the 25^th October, at the Ford Hall of the Museum.

And as part of the official inauguration, we will showcase in a few moments, a taste of some flamenco fusion dance by the Zakale za Dance Group.

The artist, Maque Falgas, despite her young age, is an expert and well known photographer.

She started working as a professional in 1997 and, since the beginning, she has been particularly devoted to capture the essence of flamenco art. She has been a regular photographer at different Flamenco music festivals achieving remarkably the capture of the scene, the light, the movement and the feeling of those events and of the artists themselves.

Maque has had her work exhibited in major exhibition spaces in the world, including London and Madrid. And her works have been published and commended by some of the most relevant specialised publications, including “Cuadernos Gitanos”.

This particular exhibition has been previously shown at the Flamenco Festival in Torrente and at Casa Patas, both among the most important venues for Flamenco art in Spain.

Maque Falgás is currently living in Turkana, and I am very pleased to have her here tonight, amongst us, so that she can address the audience and let us know a little bit more about her art.

Thank you Maque, and thank you very much to all of you.