- DAR Alto Palancia artists develop their projects on memory, heritage, and history thanks to the European Next Generation funds and the Jérica City Council
Jérica, April 2, 2024. The Alto Palancia RuralArte artists’ collective has filled the streets of Jérica with art through two projects displayed simultaneously in this municipality of Castellón: Microrrelatos de Jérica, coordinated by Melina Herrero, Meluca Redón, and Valentina Romero; and AvivArt, under the coordination of Loreto Lopezamo, Bárbara Valls, and Sara Nogués. Both initiatives stem from the DAR (Dones Artistes Rurals) project and have been funded by the European Next Generation funds and the Jérica City Council through the Valencian Institute of Culture.
Sharing and preserving the stories and anecdotes of Jérica and its inhabitants. This is the main goal of the ‘Microrrelatos de Jérica’ project by RuralArte. This artistic initiative, created within the DAR (Dones Artistes Rurals) project, was presented on Friday, March 22, where the original works created by the artists, inspired by a prior collection of stories gathered through a call and a meeting with the local population, were showcased.
On Saturday, March 23, a guided tour was conducted through the town center and natural surroundings of Jérica, where reproductions of the works created using the Paste-Up technique (paper stickers) could be observed.
To close the project, on Saturday, April 20, a special day will take place featuring the presentation of a documentary and a book that brings together the stories and the works that accompany them. Additionally, an activity will be held where elderly people will become living books and share their stories.
The initiative of rescuing local stories through artistic expressions not only constitutes an act of preserving the past but also represents a powerful way to give voice and highlight the intrinsic memory of every corner. Through art, a space is created where forgotten narratives emerge once again, enriching the collective understanding of local history and strengthening the emotional ties between the community and its surroundings.
Discovering Natural Heritage
But it is not the only project displayed in Jérica created in DAR Alto Palancia by the artists of RuralArte. ‘AvivART’ showcased a large collective installation on Sunday, March 24, at the Vuelta de la Hoz site, created from a workshop organized on the 10th of the same month. In all, the proposal aimed to discover the natural heritage of Jérica. To achieve this, a collaboration with climbers took place to set up a canvas at the climbing route area, a distinctive feature of this town.
‘AvivART’ is a space for artistic expression and citizen participation in the natural environment aimed at revitalizing these actions while exploring creative potential and giving value to natural heritage. Furthermore, it seeks to engage all nature and culture enthusiasts from the Alto Palancia region.
