Be a Good Boy and Put This On...

In the fourth issue of the SQ, with the theme Sitges Artistic, we included an article about Alpe Conceptes Plastificats (formally known as Alpe)—Pere Viñeta and Tony Luciano.

Tony Luciano and Pere Viñeta (SitgesActiu)

Over the years, the Generalitat of Catalunya has helped them to carry out their projects and also to contact museums in Spain and elsewhere, all the way to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Japan.

In the early years and out of love for art, Pere never wanted to be linked to any of his artistic work and kept his identity a secret. This was a way to express his message that everyone can do his or her bit to improve the world. He has always given his ideas, creations and time for free—he doesn’t sell them, and therefore never needs to pay taxes on his works.

On December 18th of last year they both presented an idea and registered with the Ayuntamiento de Sitges (Town hall) for the authorization to use a public space to carry out a new installation in the area near la Frigata. The graphics you see in this post were created for the project.

“Proyecto Goma al Greco Sitges 17/5/2015” (The Rubber Project)

Alpe Conceptes Plastificats, has made a call to artists, or anyone—daring all of us to bring out the artist within, and bring a smile in the form of visual poetry to the effort, so that we can all become more accustomed to the use of condoms as prevention, and reduce the risk of contracting or spreading HIV and STIs (STDs).

This travelling exhibition of individual pieces, backed by the Ayuntamiento de Sitges and local businesses, will be displayed on May 17^th. Each person in the group will laminate their artistic piece joining it to the other offerings, then they will be put into a large plastic cylinder or purpose-made condom, wrapping the El Greco statue. And they have asked l’Agrupació de Balls Populars de Sitges “to help put it on”.

After months of planning and discussion, and all the participation in the foreplay… we can’t wait for the unravelling of the condom this May! Who knew putting on a condom could be this fun and take so much planning?

Pere Viñeta i Tony Luciano

Alpe, conceptes plastificats

alpe_critsescrits@yahoo.es

p.ev.iba@hotmail.com

Beyond Ganymede

Logroño, February 19, 2015. Psychologist and columnist of the Sitges Quarterly Magazine, Juan Carlos Uríszar, was asked to give another presentation about his book, Después de Ganímedes*. 

Although Después de Ganímedes has been available to the public since 2012, it's subject of mature gay men transitioning to later life while trying to retain their youthful beauty or attractiveness is still current and will continue to be relevant for years to come as we forge the way with efforts to achieving equality and acceptance for same sex marriage, a relatively new legal option for LGBT people in many countries around the world.

The well-attended event took the audience through a journey of self-awareness, self-acceptance, identity and growth, not to mention the correlation with and brief explanation of the Ganymede** myth itself - all within the chapters of the book.

The timing of the presentation is perfect as I am currently in the final phase of completing the second issue of the GSL-Visión magazine, with its central theme of identity. 

*(Spanish language only) available in stores and on Amazon.com

**English spelling

The Myth of Ganymede

Ganymede is the young, beautiful boy that became one of Zeus' lovers. One source of the myth says that Zeus fell in love with Ganymede when he spotted him herding his flock on Mount Ida. Zeus then came down in the form of an eagle to carry Ganymede to Mount Olympus where he became cupbearer to the gods and given immortality, retaining his beauty forever. 

Rubens "Abduction of Ganymede"

All of Zeus' scandalous liaisons have allegorical meanings. Some sources say that Zeus' affair with Ganymede was a (religious) justification for homosexuality within the Greek culture, yet others state that this is merely a reflection of Greek life at that time. The myth was a model for the Greek social custom of the socially acceptable erotic relationship between a man and a youth. The philosopher Plato also used this myth to justify his sexual feelings towards male pupils.

For a complete telling of the myth go to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rJLLV7U-XY

The English language version of the book, Después de Ganímedes (Beyond Ganymede) will be available soon.