Based on the evidence that all reflection distorts reality —even the most trustworthy mirror emits an inverted image—, during the seminar-workshop Apertus02 carried by the Hans Nefkens Foundation, I explored the distorted image of Barcelona as a brand.
Ed Sheeran’s “Barcelona” music video combined with fragments of seagulls devouring pigeons in the streets of the city is one of the results. Ed Sheeran, who has declared himself an unconditional fan of this city, likes BCN so much he has a tattoo of the Sagrada Família on his arm. In his song ‘Barcelona’ he encourages us to drink sangría and dance around the basilica. I felt it was a shame that this song did not have a video clip and I made one for it using the image of the ‘other’ Barcelona: that of gulls devouring pigeons. The video clip consists of snippets recorded by 17 tourists who took away this image of Barcelona and uploaded it to YouTube, possibly first attracted by the image projected by Ed Sheeran. I don’t know which of the two Barcelonas is more authentic
Artwork presented at Galeria Angels Barcelona (Apertus 02: noitcelfeR (Reflection), 2018) http://angelsbarcelona.com/en/project/apertus-02-noitcelfer-reflection/61