Category Archives: CASAdelDRAGON

Casa Osa Mayor – the courtyard of humanity

2025/11/15Allgemein, Casa Osa Mayor, CASAdelDRAGON, HU Cervera del Maestrefafe

osa mayor cervera - secure the facade - november 2025 — osa mayor cervera – secure the facade – november 2025

This is a story about the starry sky, a story about a nighttime companion, a story about a strange bathing party team, and a story about Epicurus and his garden. But ultimately, it’s also a story about you.

Almost forty years ago, we began to look at a ruin in front of CASAdelDRAGON. We wondered who had lived there. We wondered what would become of this house, threatened by decay.

In the evenings, we sat on the terrace and gazed at the silhouettes of this ruin in the moonlight. In those early years, there was hardly any street lighting in the village of Cervera del Maestre, and certainly not on the street with the many ruins—our street.

When we raised our gaze to the starry sky, we saw the constellation Ursa Major (the Great Bear). That constellation had always been something special. Wherever we came to rest in the evening after work wherever in Europe, wherever we had said goodbye to the day and welcomed the night together, this constellation was always present before us. Over the years, it had become a reliable companion. And this companion gave each of these places a feeling of home.

osa mayor cervera - secure the facade - first old ceramic stones - november 2025 — osa mayor cervera – secure the facade – first old ceramic stones – november 2025

All of this is long past, but it is the foundation of my knowledge, upon which I can stand comfortably and which I have been able to develop further over all these years. I read the stones. I listen too. They speak to me. When I lift such a natural stone, move it in my hand, then I read it. It is not me who assigns the stone its new place; it is the stone that tells me how it should best lie and how I should align it in the best way. Some stones joyfully say YES, some are reserved, and some say NO. I listen to them. I respect their reply. When I read the stones, I also read the traces of the previous working of maybe free masons. Some of the stones in the ruins in Cervera were cutted out from the rocks. You can recognize them by the fact that they have been little or not at all hewn. They were mostly used as building blocks within the natural stone walls. The “beautiful” stones were all hewn. They show traces of human workmanship. But these traces are much older than expected. The older houses in the village of Cervera del Maestre are largely built from the natural stones of the castle. Poor families from the north were invited to help revive the village in the 15th century, and they were granted the right to use the old castle ruins as a quarry.

The ruins in front of CASAdelDRAGON are also made of these stones. They weren’t hewn by the masons when this house was built; they were hewn when the castle was constructed, more than 1,000 years ago.

When I hold one of these stones in my hand, it’s a magical moment. I read the stone, I listen to it. It tells of that ancient time. I have great respect for what this stone has witnessed. And I am grateful that I can give it a new, important place.

osa mayor cervera - secure the facade - recycling of old construction materials - november 2025 — osa mayor cervera – secure the facade – recycling of old construction materials – november 2025

Just as you can read and listen to the stones, you can also read the facades of old houses. You can tell whether the people who built them were wealthy or poor, whether they had time for details or only worked on their homes briefly after a hard day’s work in the fields.

The houses of wealthy people usually have stone lintels above the window reveals and doors and gates, while those of poor people tend to have wooden beams. Wealthy people could often afford stone arches, while poor people could hardly afford them. Wealthy people have facades where all the outer stones are hewn and worked, while poor people used a variety of materials, and you often find broken bricks mixed in with the natural stones.

Those who had to save money when building their homes did as the Romans did. They reused old building materials as much as possible. And that’s exactly what we’re doing now with the reconstruction of the facade at the House of the Big Bear.

At the lower entrance, on the left-hand side, there are some very special clay bricks. These stones come from a construction waste dump in Vinaros, a city nearby. On the north side of the main beach, where a small forest with fitness equipment has now been built, there used to be a large dumping ground. The sea is eroding the land in this area, and the loose natural stone there offers little resistance to the waves. So, in the last century, construction debris was often dumped on the beach to slow down the erosion.

Many old clay bricks from castles, fortresses, and stately homes were also dumped there. The surf had washed many of them clean, removing all traces of mortar.

When we drove to the seaside in Vinaros after work at CASAdelDRAGON with our helpers, each of us carried two buckets. It was a strange sight in the summer. Several construction workers would arrive at the tourist beach with buckets, and before going for a swim, they would search for clay bricks in the spoil heap. Almost every trip to the seaside ended with us returning to Cervera with buckets full of these old clay bricks.

The tourists didn’t understand us, but a few elderly pensioners, who watched us with amusement, knew what we were doing and why.

These bricks had adorned castles and palaces, and we would give them a proper place in Spanish architecture again someday. We used many of these clay bricks in the CASAdelDRAGON. Some survived the passage of time in the cellar of Casa Pacha Mama. Now their time has come; they are finding a new home in the facade of Casa Oso Mayor.

osa mayor cervera - secure the facade - vinaros memories - november 2025 — osa mayor cervera – secure the facade – vinaros memories – november 2025

When Epicurus decided to establish a university, he didn’t want to build a palace like so many other schools for the children of the wealthy in ancient Greece. He chose to create a garden, and anyone entering through a gate had to agree to a condition: in this garden, all people are equal. This was a humanitarian demand of the human family, and in ancient Greece, an outrageous provocation.

In recent years, we have rebuilt or helped rebuild several houses in Cervera. At the moment, we aren’t considering rebuilding old Vincente’s house as a residence. We are considering dedicating this house to the human family. Instead of a building, we want to create a patio, preserving and securing the existing structures of the house. This is the work we began in November 2025.

If you, too, would like to listen to the stones, if you want to become part of this story, then find your way to Casa Oso Mayor in Cervera del Maestre (Castellon / Spain).

Alea iacta est – over the Rubicon and beyond

2025/11/15Allgemein, CASAdelDRAGON, EL-DRAC Gallery, HU Cervera del Maestrefafe

The famous quote about the dice being cast originates with Caesar. His decision to cross the Rubicon defied the law. There was no turning back; it was fight and victory or death. Whatever the future emperor said at the time, it has become an expression of the belief that actions are irreversible and that it is wise to be aware of this before taking action.

CASAdelDRAGON - alea iacta est - over the Rubicon and beyond - the casting mold — CASAdelDRAGON – alea iacta est – over the Rubicon and beyond – the casting mold

In 2011, I began organizing exhibitions titled “Amor en Guerras Civiles” (Love in Civil Wars). The signs of an impending war against the citizens—every war is ultimately directed against the citizens of a society—were unmistakable to me. My contribution to this project was “Amazing Citizens.” I wanted to give the citizens a face, because they would once again suffer the most from the war and would once again have to bear the burden of reconstruction.

CASAdelDRAGON - alea iacta est - over the Rubicon and beyond - in the mold — CASAdelDRAGON – alea iacta est – over the Rubicon and beyond – in the mold

At the end of the economic miracle years, I asked my grandmother, an actress and author, how the Second World War could have happened. Having been bombed out twice, a single mother with two children, and having stumbled through the war, she had, as always, a concise answer: Victims were offered absolution by being perpetrators.

CASAdelDRAGON - alea iacta est - over the Rubicon and beyond - 25 kg of art — CASAdelDRAGON – alea iacta est – over the Rubicon and beyond – 25 kg of art

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. After three or four generations, memory fades and joining in becomes difficult. Who really wants to look at what others have done wrong, so as not to repeat it themselves?

CASAdelDRAGON - alea iacta est - over the Rubicon and beyond - with joint compound 2 — CASAdelDRAGON – alea iacta est – over the Rubicon and beyond – with joint compound 2

Nothing is accidental: Newspeak, thought control, the power to define the space for debate. Whether it’s the Rütli Hat or cognitive dissonance, subjugation is the goal.

CASAdelDRAGON - alea iacta est - over the Rubicon and beyond - with joint compound — CASAdelDRAGON – alea iacta est – over the Rubicon and beyond – with joint compound

Sloterdijk’s fragmented society is reflected in his disintegrating circle of friends; there’s no mention of inclusion whatsoever. He even adds: “There is no moral obligation to self-destruction!” That, too, will probably be considered far-right by 2025.

CASAdelDRAGON - alea iacta est - over the Rubicon and beyond - trencadis 2 — CASAdelDRAGON – alea iacta est – over the Rubicon and beyond – trencadis 2

The fact itself is a taboo broken, exclusion instead of debate end of 2025. Halfway there, we are rapidly approaching 2030. In a recent conversation with a friend, I had a remarkable experience. Invited to share my thoughts, I let them flow freely. I spoke about everything I’d seen and heard in recent weeks, all the political upheavals, and the social and economic consequences for my fellow citizens. Parts of Europe are a madhouse. And while some fear the future because they see their privileges dwindling, others fear an undemocratic future—if it hasn’t already begun. Only a few remain active and content.

CASAdelDRAGON - alea iacta est - over the Rubicon and beyond - trencadis — CASAdelDRAGON – alea iacta est – over the Rubicon and beyond – trencadis

“I don’t watch television anymore; what good are all these bad news stories to me? I don’t want to hear them.” That was my friend’s response to his invitation to share what was going on inside me and what was on my mind. Was that a prohibition on speaking, a prohibition on thinking? What does friendship mean these days, and what does friendship even mean?

A hiker in Ares del Maestre agreed with me: “What mainland Spain was in the Spanish Civil War, Ukraine is today; back then, they tested all the new weapons and weapon types for the Second World War. Tanks, carpet bombing of towns, and targeted attacks on industry and civilian infrastructure were tested also.” What tanks were then, drones are today. The testing ground is grateful—or not. What comes after this new test?

When the Twin Towers in New York were brought down, we converted the ground floor of CASAdelDRAGON into an exhibition space, driven by contemporary social art and not by money. When the War on Terror was declared, i created a family constellation of the European family as part of an art exhibition in an exhibition space in Rheinbach near Cologne in Germany – with refugees from Syria. When the children were being tested en masse in the classrooms every day, we organized guitar lessons for the older ones, and the younger ones played with the wood by the stove, together, singing and without fear. Now ships are anchored off Venezuela, Gaza lies in ruins, and we continue to work on a social meeting place, a place for members of the human family, an open house of encounter.

We don’t live in the best world, we live in the best possible one. The key is to remain active, to enjoy life. The allure of fear is ever-present, and a wise rejection is called for. It’s not a good idea to turn away from the world and shut ourselves off from its signals. It’s a good idea to receive those signals, whether we like them or not, and to act in such a way that we can look into the eyes of small children without regret, without fear, and without anger. We continue.

monthly wrap – written words

2025/10/12CASAdelDRAGON, HU Cervera del Maestrefafe

Whatever happens, if it’s not documented, will rarely be remembered. And if the few who take action neglect to write it down, the others will think nothing happened. This is a monthly overview, from the beginning of September 2025 to the beginning of October 2025. It may seem rather disjointed, but it’s a time-lapse of all the many small and large things that happen.

The written word is greatest sacred documentation.
Lailah Gifty Akita

One day after our return, we had a mission in Llerida. The task was to repair a chimney damaged in a storm using simple means.

Back in Cervera, a few benches were distributed around CASAdelDRAGON. These will probably be taken over by the municipality later and placed in special locations.

monthly wrap - written words - buenavistacervera - urban gardening — monthly wrap – written words – buenavistacervera – urban gardening

Another workshop on building street furniture had only one participant, Miet from Belgium, a friend and very connected to our community. In three days, she had built her first bench, with the support of Francesca.

monthly wrap - written words - buenavistacervera - miets workshop - destiny next — monthly wrap – written words – buenavistacervera – miets workshop – destiny next

Visitors from Halle and Berlin helped out and prepared more wood for the street furniture construction.

monthly wrap - written words - buenavistacervera - with a little help of some friends — monthly wrap – written words – buenavistacervera – with a little help of some friends

After growing a lot of vegetables and lettuce during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, our own garden was somewhat neglected. To kick-start our gardening again, we planted lettuce and vegetables. We used the raised beds left over from our aquaponics project with the University of Halle.

monthly wrap - written words - abandoned aquaponics - planting food again — monthly wrap – written words – abandoned aquaponics – planting food again

After we had buried the electrical cables 20 years ago, we began wiring the sockets and switches. That was a big moment for everyone. We also had to determine whether this installation would still be viable after so many years.

monthly wrap - written words - enlightenment in the house of Pacha Mama — monthly wrap – written words – enlightenment in the house of Pacha Mama

For almost 40 years, we looked at a ruin. We will have the story of the “House of the Great Bear” to tell later. After starting work on removing the ivy, we are now clearing out the construction debris and garbage. Natural stones and recyclable building materials are being separated from the soil and rubble. The soil is being moved into the garden, and the garbage is being separated and disposed of. To date, we have already cleared out about 6 tons.

monthly wrap - written words - la osa grande - excavation first — monthly wrap – written words – la osa grande – excavation first

The terrace in the House of the Dragon was completed over 30 years ago. After that, a parapet was added. This has been awaiting completion for 20 years now. At that time, there was a small room for art in the building. And soon, it’s set to continue.

monthly wrap - written words - cube one (of four) — monthly wrap – written words – cube one (of four)

Casa Pacha Mama is our second major construction project in Cervera del Maestre. That, too, is a long story. This made the completion of the electrical installation on the upper floors all the more significant. The fuse box is state-of-the-art and already provides all the electrical circuits, including those for the ground floor and basement, where interior work is still underway.

monthly wrap - written words - fuse box set up — monthly wrap – written words – fuse box set up

I wished I could keep everything I witnessed like a photograph, to forever hold this electric aliveness.
Aspen Matis

After designing several urban gardening models for a Belgian fan base five years ago and building them on the terrace of CASAdelDRAGON, it was now time to dismantle these installations. The used pallet wood will be thermally recycled, while the better pieces will be used in street furniture production and will be used in new benches.

monthly wrap - written words - food for tomorrow — monthly wrap – written words – food for tomorrow

The soil from the planting trays and raised beds was enriched with chicken manure, and lettuce, onions, and cabbage were planted.

We always see what hasn’t been accomplished yet. But at least while writing this, we have the leisure to reflect for a moment on what is already history.

The new adventure in Cervera del Maestre

2025/07/18Allgemein, Casa Osa Mayor, CASAdelDRAGON, HU Cervera del Maestrefafe

This is a story about my grandmother, a Cologne author, radio presenter, and actress. It’s also a story about building (houses in mountain villages in Spain). And it’s a story about Vincente, an old farmer in such a Spanish mountain village. And it’s the story of the beginning of a story whose end we don’t yet know. Perhaps it will be told here digitally one day; it will certainly be passed on later in analog form, maybe in an open patio in Calle Las Parras, by sitting in a bar, talking about the history of this beautiful village.

My grandmother was able to teach me a lot. She had a special way of preparing the ground for learning. Her comments and wisdom usually came rather casually. But somehow she had a good sense of when the right time was. So many things are solidified and constantly available for navigation. When we once talked about careers and career choices, she said: “Don’t make what you really enjoy your job!”

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - more ivy — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – more ivy

Later, I was faced with the choice of whether architecture or fine art was the right course of study. I chose neither. But later, I created many works of art and even built a few houses.

The first house I actively worked on wasn’t my house at all. It was my great-uncle’s house in Dattenfeld an der Sieg, a German village near Cologne with 1000 inhabitants. I was 10 years old and enthusiastically demolished an old chimney. I particularly remember throwing the old tiles from the roof arch through an open wall onto the trailer behind the tractor as fun.

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - and more ivy — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – and more ivy

The second house is still standing in the South of France. Nine years later, I helped a friend rebuild an old stone house in the Corbieres. The alcoholic carpenter wasn’t really up for it. This gave me the opportunity to build the first roof truss of my life. I stayed until the roof was finished. And it was a special experience.

The third house was CASAdelDragon. With the help of over 150 people from all over the world, we rebuilt a ruin. After 20 years, we were able to celebrate the – provisional – completion of this construction site with our first art exhibition on the ground floor.

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - backside — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – backside

After that, and at the same time, there were other projects in Europe. They were our own or projects by friends. The focus was always on fun and the joy of building. And that remains the case to this day.

An old farmer lived on our street. He is no longer alive. For many years, Vincente walked through the streets of the mountain village with a cold cigar in the corner of his mouth, nodding in greeting or raising his hand, speaking little.

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - a bit more ivy — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – a bit more ivy

He knew that I was very interested in his aunt’s ruins. He had inherited them but never rebuilt them. Every day, he sat for a few hours on his terrace and listened to the people on their paseo, a common walk through the village in the milder evenings at the time. He looked at the ruins from his terrace. I looked at the ruins from our terrace.

Many years later, he became very ill, and one day, no one knew where he was, and everyone in the village was worried. I fetched a ladder, and a neighbor climbed into his house via the first-floor balcony. Vincente was lying in the bathroom, still alive but unresponsive. He woke up disoriented. The ambulance took him away, and I never saw him again.

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - a bit less ivy — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – a bit less ivy

Years later, a relative approached me. Vincete told her: “I will never do anything else with this ruin in my life. When I’m dead, give it to the German from CASAdelDRAGON.”

Now we have cleared this ruin of ivy and begun to remove the rubble, debris and garbage. This is a first step. We did this as a token of gratitude to Vincente and his family. And we also removed the ivy from the neighbor’s facade (with her consent).

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - a bit of bio mass — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – a bit of bio mass

While doing this work, I remembered my first weeks at CASAdelDRAGON. Back then, we spent a week hauling rubble and garbage. The entire left side of the ground floor was almost completely full of the garbage of a 12-person household, accumulated over the years.

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - the next step of cleaning — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – the next step of cleaning

Back then, the village still had a construction waste dump, and we drove there frequently. When the trailer was loaded mostly with construction waste, the farmers would ask us to use it to repair the roads. Than we unloaded on the way.

Back then, there was no waste separation. And I didn’t realize how much recyclable material this construction debris contained.

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - waste separation — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – waste separation

We have now cleared out a quarter of Vincente’s old house. We are carefully separating the waste and saving all the natural stones. Most of them come from the castle (and were quarried there 600 years ago by Vincente’s ancestors). When they expelled the Moors, the conquerors invited poor families from Catalonia to settle here and quarry stones from the castle to build houses underneath.

Every stone here has a long history. And we are preserving these stones with respect, thus making this history available for future generations.

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - harvesting old construction materials — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – harvesting old construction materials

This is a first step; many more will follow.

The plan is to develop this house as a social meeting place. An open kitchen in an open patio, a dry toilet, a small storage room, a bar, and perhaps two sleeping spaces for pilgrims and other guests of this village. The house is intended to be open for the visitors of CASAdelDRAGON, but especially for the residents of the old quarter of Cervera del Maestre. We also want to commemorate a time when residents would sit in front of their houses in the evenings, hoping that others would pass by on their paseo and be ready for a chat. These conversations were often prolonged with pastries and drinks. This is how it can be again, once social media has found its way back from the digital mess to the analog beauty.

the new adventure in cervera del maestre - el gran ós — the new adventure in cervera del maestre – el gran ós

Vicente’s house has now waited 50 years. Its time has come. We will report back.

Now we are thinking about the right name.

Pati de l’Óssa Major
Bar Regalo / Regalo Bar
Casa de l’Óssa Major
La Botiga Gratuïta
El Pati

What is you favorite? Let us know. Come around for a chat. The gallery is open all weekends in summer.

Just for You!

2025/03/21Allgemein, CASAdelDRAGON, HU Cervera del Maestre, sculpture gardenfafe

buenavista cervera cologne - cathedral - bench communication — buenavista cervera cologne – cathedral – bench communication

This is an article just for you. Yes. It’s published here on the Familiafeliz community website. This website is accessed from time to time by many friends. We keep them up to date on current developments and projects. Thus, most articles, written and edited by one or a few, are aimed at the many out there who use the media to learn about what’s happening here.

But this article is only aimed at one person. So, it may be that you are that person, but it would also not be unlikely if you were not the recipient of this message. What would then be a good reason to continue reading? A good reason might be to continue reading to find out if you could be the person addressed here. And if, at the end, you think you aren’t, to ask yourself why not.

When we founded the Familiafeliz community many years ago, we wanted to bring to life an idea of how people could organize themselves beyond economics, without hierarchies, without power constellations, without profit-taking, without fear.

We wanted to establish a holistic, open idea that would find its own way through people’s minds and hearts.

Above all, we also wanted to create a community characterized by the fact that the places (of this community) woo people, and not the other way around.

Historically, our community grew out of the experience of a temporary international community whose goal was to rebuild CASAdelDRAGON. And life in this temporary community—usually around Easter and for 1-2 months in the summer of each year—was strongly influenced by the life partnership of two founding members.

buenavista cervera cologne - cathedral - bench alter ego — buenavista cervera cologne – cathedral – bench alter ego

Along the way, there were far fewer decisions to be made than one would like to claim in retrospect. The ego wants recognition, but in doing so, it often obscures the fact that success is always something for the many, and rarely something for the individual.

And success is always about timing. Sometimes it was right, but often it wasn’t. In retrospect, it’s always easy to find a common thread running through a story. Then everything makes sense. Anecdotes follow one another in an entertaining way, and in the end, everyone comes to the conclusion that – in this case – things couldn’t have turned out any other way.

It’s not just the temporary victors who practice falsifying history; people as a whole also tend to repeatedly tell history in such a way that they come out looking good, and that they couldn’t have acted any differently and thus essentially did the best they could.

It’s more likely, however, that everyone involved would have told this story differently, had they only been willing to publish their perspective here. They were always and still are invited to do so. While some viewed this platform as a news blog for a decentralized community, it is much more a document of the Zeitgeist, which manifests itself in the sum of subjective views, when they are published.

There we have it again, the difference between public opinion and publicly published opinion. Only in this case, it’s up to the actors and auditors themselves to decide whether they want to publish something.

This article is about the words trust and confidence, and about the words property and ownership. And it’s about what connects these two pairs of words.

Many people use the word trust very often. They usually also express appreciation. This appreciation also signals openness, a willingness to disarm, a willingness to abandon lines of resistance in order to be more receptive to the social, human, and interpersonal. I have the impression that this trust is mentioned and named, but that there is always a fear or anxiety about possible misuse, and that the person in whom the trust is placed is being granted an advance. This word thus extends into the realm of expectations.

Expectations are describable notions of expected behavior, in light of one’s own prior commitment.

buenavista cervera cologne - cathedral - bench shopping tour — buenavista cervera cologne – cathedral – bench shopping tour

I consciously tend to use the word confidence in my communication. I often receive special attention during conversations. Especially people who like to trust are irritated by the use of this other word. I like to use this attention to emphasize the essential difference for me and then explain why I prefer this word much better at this point in the communication.

Like trust, confidence is a mental concept that simulates the future. With trust, its occurrence is not only expected; it is practically morally required. Failure to fulfill it is often described as a breach of trust. After one’s initial effort, the expected result must occur; otherwise, one has been betrayed, is the often-argued argument. People who often use trust explicitly have also often been disappointed. Thus, the mental reward system pre-programmed the release of endophene even when disappointment occurs again. Then it happens again, and the victim remains comfortably in their comfort zone.

Confidence as a co-player—not as an adversary—releases the person so described into a freedom of action. When I trust someone to do something, I am only describing my simulation of their ability, but I am not saying anything about whether the application of that ability—which is positive for me—will then occur in the future.

I trust you to make me happy. That is a gift without a double bottom. It is not a Trojan horse as a vehicle for my wishes and desires. It does not restrict. It leaves the future open, for both. The person addressed in this way is capable of behaving exactly as he or she wishes or differently. They remain free in their reactions. I myself do not create expectations that, on the one hand, cast a veil over the reality of the reaction of the person so addressed, as I observe it; on the other hand, I remain open to neutrally observe and accept the predictable consequences of the other person’s reaction. I relieve the other person of burdens, and I relieve myself of burdens, when I communicate confidence instead of trust.

The tiger in the Savannah owns the hunted game. It drags it back to the tribe, takes its share, and leaves the rest to the clan, especially its close relatives. It marks the territory in which it currently resides. It claims the portion of the prey it consumes as its own property.

Early humans also knew something like possession. The voluntary, consensual or non-consensual claim to immediate, autonomous, and unrestricted use.

buenavista cervera cologne - cathedral - bench blooming landscape — buenavista cervera cologne – cathedral – bench blooming landscape

How the word “property” may have found its way into human thought structures is not so easy to discern. It appears to be an intermediate level, intentionally inserted between natural law and the moral idea of taking possession as a socially accepted act within the clan and community. This begs the question: by whom? Was it the chief, who, via the detour of religion and his authority to explain, interpret, and apply it based on religion, who created the idea that there was something more fundamental than ownership? And if so, what was his intention?

If property, as stated in the law, obligates and grants in return the sovereignty to temporarily lend one’s possessions – often in exchange – it declares a levy to the owner as legitimate. This explains why the introduction of the concept of property had value for a small segment of a community that, as stewards of the greater good, felt called upon to allocate or even withdraw this property.

Property as an idea is therefore an instrument of domination. And it is associated with expectations that it is the owner’s responsibility to fulfill.

In many so-called Western countries, the concepts of possession and ownership are unclearly defined and often confused, not least to obscure the true balance of power. Anyone who loses their home because they don’t pay taxes is probably just an owner, even if they are persuaded that they own it so that they can then be held morally responsible.

In international law, a state is considered sovereign if it can declare a state of emergency. In so-called democracies, the people are often referred to as sovereign. In recent years, this has seemed more like a misnomer. In ancient Greece, democracy was the cultural response to the ongoing murders within the ranks of the elite in the struggle for power. Back then, 1% of the population had granted themselves a kind of arena for intellect so as not to constantly be at each other’s throats. 99% of the population, mostly slaves, were never part of this opinion-forming process.

In ancient law, anyone who was allowed to carry weapons in public was free.

A true owner can be assumed if their availability is considered unrestricted, their destruction is permitted, and their continued use requires neither an explanation nor justification, nor a tax payment.

Squatting is thus a second-order seizure, since even the so-called owner is in reality merely a possessor who loses the property if they fail to pay taxes. In this way, only the state is actually the owner, and as an immature lackey, a guardian is required, which the respective elite is happy to provide.

In the tension between possession and ownership, just as with the concept of trust, expectations operate. The notarized transfer of ownership expects tax payment and the maintenance and preservation of a temporary right granted to the public (which generally also secures the right of first refusal). The temporary transfer of ownership to the tenant of the property is organized contractually and formulates a host of expectations associated with the transfer. Likewise, the owner expects the owner to maintain the property taken into possession.

Possession as a mental concept can still be imagined without expectations. Ownership, not so much. A child running across a meadow reaches for a flower. Without the concepts of possession and ownership, it grasps and appropriates the flower. Subdue the world as a mandate; know the unexpecting taking of possession, but not ownership.

buenavista cervera cologne - cathedral - bench silkroad — buenavista cervera cologne – cathedral – bench silkroad

This is not a call to violence. This is not a critique of capitalism. This is not a fact-checked narrative for or against anything. It’s nothing more—but also nothing less—than a mind game about the dominance of thought concepts in our heads, the consequences for their creators, for their carriers, and for the target audience, who—reflectively or not—adopt it and pass it on as a meme to future generations.

The thesis is bold. What would it be like in a world where trust is rejected and confidence prevails, where property as a concept is discarded and possession takes its place, accompanied by the moral appreciation of one’s own clan? It would be a better world!

But, and this is where things come to a full circle for you. Would it be your world?

… read also the reply to this article from Andreas here.

The new food order – the art of raising chicken

2022/07/09Allgemein, CASAdelDRAGON, chicken unit, HU Cervera del Maestrefafe

the new food order - join the team and care about your food — the new food order – join the team and care about your food

CASAdelDRAGON is a social space, a think tank, an art hot spot in the province Castellon and a lab to improve new concepts of sozial art at all.

This is a story about raising chicken, doing social art, listening an australian prime minister, realizing the new world order of a global food chain and setting up a new working unit of our community in Spain.

i am what i eat, i eat what i sow, I sow what I like, i like what i am.
Juan Petry

It’s a story about lots of animals, lots of people, lots of screws, lots of recycling, lots of fun, and an unusual exhibition at the contemporary art gallery CASAdelDRAGON.

In the spring of 2022, a few friends of Familiafeliz got together to start a chicken farming project. That alone would not be the beginning of a new social sculpture, but a real verified interest of a target group is the motivation for the artist to start one.
Familiafeliz has been keeping chickens in the home unit in Germany for more than 25 years and has a lot of experience in rearing and caring for them.

A 28-year-old incubator has been waiting for its first use in the CASAdelDRAGON for many years.

the new food order - the old wooden incubator - re-use after 28 years — the new food order – the old wooden incubator – re-use after 28 years

First, hatching eggs from different sources were brought together. The new flock of chickens should show a high level of genetic variance in order to ensure diversity in the species and robustness and health of the brood later when rearing new generations.

the new food order - selecting eggs for the incubator — the new food order – selecting eggs for the incubator

Artificial brood is certainly the second choice when rearing chickens naturally, but it offers many advantages, especially when starting over. The absence of older animals prevents the transmission of many parasites, the animals are of the same age and grow up together, which reduces the stress of group integration. The controlled supply of the animals with high-quality organic feed right from the start guarantees health, well-being and vitality of the animals later.

The selection of the hatching eggs included the option of combining specific characteristics of selected breeds for later breeding. The choice fell on: Ayam Cemani, BiBlue, Sussez, Marans, Oliver Eggs, Araucana, Ameraucana, Rhode Island and local breeds with good adaptation to the local climate of the Maestrazgo.

the new food order - marking the hatching eggs for documentation — the new food order – marking the hatching eggs for documentation

Simultaneously with the beginning of incubation, several chick homes were built. The aim was to recycle as much material as possible from the large pool of 36 years of rebuilding the CASAdelDRAGON and 15 years of running the gallery on the ground floor of the house.

the new food order - building chich houses — the new food order – building chich houses

The simultaneous construction of several chick houses should allow a selection of the chicks according to size and breed right from the start. The design should take into account the natural needs of the chicks and at the same time offer the possibility of relaxed natural breeding with a mother hen (separated from the group).

the new food order - electrical installation — the new food order – electrical installation

The electrical installation served to connect a light source and a heating source.

the new food order - chick home with heat source — the new food order – chick home with heat source

Chicken eggs hatch for 21 days. Between the third and seventeenth day, the eggs are regularly turned, at least twice. In natural breeding, this is done by the mother hen.

the new food order - moving the eggs — the new food order – moving the eggs

The mother hen also pays attention to the signals from the eggs and sorts out rigorously what does not answer accordingly. After the seventeenth day, the eggs are no longer turned and the incubator is only opened briefly to check the humidity and temperature. Particular attention must be paid to a good supply of fresh air, because the chicks’ lungs start working long before hatching and breathe through the closed (porous) eggshell.

the new food order - preparing for the chikcs to move in — the new food order – preparing for the chikcs to move in

The goal is to hatch and raise healthy, strong chickens. The preparation of the chicks for the expected habitat and its challenges is an important moment. This also includes the contamination of the chick home with bacteria and germs that occur in this habitat. For this purpose we dug up topsoil from the garden and single grasses that are offered to the chicks from the beginning. Some larvae and beetles were also found in this natural soil, a very popular prey for the chicks.

the new food order - mounting the next exhibition — the new food order – mounting the next exhibition

An important aspect of a social sculpture is the interaction with the target group. The change to use the project for informal education was taken into account from the beginning.

the new food order - informal learning at its best — the new food order – informal learning at its best

The audience followed the hatching process attentively.

the new food order - happy birthday — the new food order – happy birthday

After 21 days, the chicks hatched. In artificial hatching, a hatch rate of over 60% is a success when the sources of the hatching eggs are not certain and thus the fertilization rate of the eggs is not clear. In the project we were happy about 32 healthy chicks, which corresponded to a rate of about 70%.

The chicks form a community by vocalizing even before hatching and agree on the moment of hatching. You can listen to them communicating and watch them break through the eggshell with the greatest expenditure of energy. Anyone who manages to do it on their own shows the absolute will to live and immediately sets out to explore the new environment.

the new food order - team building — the new food order – team building

The pack behavior is distinctive, provides protection and security, and creates trust for the habitat and its challenges.

This is the story of the chicks, and it is also a story of the people. On the day the first chick was born, Australia’s incumbent Prime Minister introduced legislation that could make food production in Australia difficult, if not impossible, for private individuals. This political initiative is just one of many to re-regulate global production, supply chains and conditions of food production. If, at the same time, the emergency slaughter or the house arrest of millions of animals are ordered because of the claim of a new wave of bird flu, the question arises as to who wants to push through which agenda to the benefit of whom. Nature usually responds to challenges with diversity, diversity in genotype and phenotype, diversity in habitat, food supply and climate.

Globalists strive for centralized solutions. They suspect the easier control. Kevin Kelly’s book “Out of Control” described many developments early on. The hubris of controlling nature remains a companion in the development of adolescent societies that have not yet made it out of their egg of presumption about the nature of their reality.

The egg doesn’t come out of the box (bought in a super market). It comes from a living being. And it needs people to raise it, nurture it, feed it, and be willing to share the fruits of their labor with others.

This article is dedicated to such people: Agnieska, Aura, Maria, Jens, Dilan and Francesca.

Most chickens are given names, which makes it easier to operate in day-to-day communication with each other.
The first chick that hatched also got a name: Dan.

Cervera del Maestre, capital del Arte, capital del futuro

2022/04/11Allgemein, CASAdelDRAGON, HU Cervera del Maestre, HU Virtual, UNIIEfafe

Exoit - when healing begins - Expo 2022 - CASAdelDRAGON — Exoit – when healing begins – Expo 2022 – CASAdelDRAGON

Every state intervention in the organically grown reality of life in rural areas has consequences, some of these consequences are considered, some are not, some are desired, some are not. Anyone who feels responsible and wants to give rural areas an advantage is well advised to involve the population and keep an eye on their basic needs.
For a long time, villages have been competing for the people and no longer the people for the villages. Anyone who attracts investors drives away social coexistence. Optimizing the economy and social interaction leads to a conflict of interests. The neo-liberal school of thought opts for economics and claims that social interaction is a side effect. It is not so.

Exoit - when healing begins - Sculpture by Sonia Eva Domenech - Expo 2022 - CASAdelDRAGON — Exoit – when healing begins – Sculpture by Sonia Eva Domenech – Expo 2022 – CASAdelDRAGON

Integration and participation lead to generalization, to the socialization of added value. This is contrary to the desire to accumulate profits in the hands of the few.
Many rural villages have opted for industrial settlement or mass tourism. Both put a strain on natural resources and, due to their structure, cannot be sustainable. The sustainable added value for the local population is low.
Instead of attracting capital, it is subjectively attracting more successful people. Subjective, because fewer and fewer people are available. Regarding refugee policy as a human resource to fill in gaps leads to outrageous collateral damage when the act of helping goes beyond the unorganized initiative of individuals.
There are hard factors in a person’s choice of residence: food, security, work, space, mobility and their infrastructure. There are also soft factors: quality of life, culture, health, potential.
Contemporary art is a companion to contemporary culture. Contemporary art shouldn’t claim to know the right answers either, but contemporary social art can make a contribution, and this is aimed directly at the local people.

Exoit - when healing begins - new generation in town - Expo 2022 - CASAdelDRAGON — Exoit – when healing begins – new generation in town – Expo 2022 – CASAdelDRAGON

Rural areas as a natural resource form the basis of every society. The idea of concentrating people in megacities, producing food artificially and reserving rural areas for the elite of a society does not seem sustainable.
In a more and more online-based world, the permanent influx of young families with high cultural and economic potential will depend on soft factors. Anyone who invests in the satisfaction of their roommates today will automatically find new roommates. Nothing gets around faster than well-being. And word of that gets around, especially among those who make a difference in society.

Exoit - when healing begins - music performance - VERSONAUTAS - Expo 2022 - CASAdelDRAGON — Exoit – when healing begins – music performance – VERSONAUTAS – Expo 2022 – CASAdelDRAGON

The love of music and dance anchored in tradition, the rich culture and open commitment to this culture are a key to integration, but also to a necessary diversification.
Just as in education, it is important in local politics to do little to damage people’s own intrinsic powers and to promote them wherever possible.
This is exactly where contemporary art can make a contribution. She has long since emancipated herself from the elite and their desire for luxury. It strives for the creation of social space across the board, which is populated for the benefit of this very population.
What can contemporary art do in a village like Cervera del Maestre… it can create social spaces for togetherness. It can stimulate in the areas of education, architecture and health.

Social art imparts knowledge in the areas of health, nutrition, medicinal herbs and alternative agriculture. But social art also creates barrier-free access and handling.
Social art brings people of different nationalities together in groups. It provides this group with an identity-forming shared experience.
Social art questions values, views and dogmas, reduces fear, creates serenity in dealing with the stranger.
Social art optimizes social interaction. The prize arises from participation, it remains with the participant himself.

CASAdelDRAGON – nutrition workshop with a guest from Bahrain – Cervera del Maestre 2018

CASA del DRAGON regularly opens its doors to the public space. It invites the local population and it attracts people interested in culture from afar.
Nationalities meet in the workshops and seminars. Some of the visitors return later, some of them forever.
The Garden of Colors is the campus of the free university for informal education and a place for dance, theatre, music and culinary delights. He is connected to the cooperative, the school, the people of the village. But he is also connected to his visitors in recent years, and thus connected to all continents of the world.
Social art transports a message internally and externally, the experience of individual happiness as part of a community.

This is our offer to the village of CERVERA del MAESTRE as well as for other villages with interest in the benefit of social contemporary art (PDF, 22KB).

Cocina Comun

2022/02/23Allgemein, CASAdelDRAGON, HU Cervera del Maestre, HU Virtual, UNIIEfafe

Sunday the 6th of march we meet in the CASAdelDRAGON and prepare some jams and cakes. This event is part of the informal education initiative and itself an event of art.

If you are interested to join this event please check out our application form here or write a mail to us (contact details here).

If you can not partizipate in this event but you like to be invited to the next, let us know (you could use the same communication channels).

Education – The greater Reset

2022/02/19Allgemein, CASAdelDRAGON, color garden, HU Cervera del Maestre, HU Virtual, Memories, UNIIEfafe

APEAL summer school workshop Romania in 2018

If you can see social developments like the organization of education in a society as a NATURAL proces then you can apply the principles of nature to further development as well. Then:

Evolution instead of revolution.
Niche occupation before displacement.

From the first it follows that in the end there is no legal way to further develop of an existing system. Due to the system, innovation is declared to be an illegal activity.

colorgarden artist camp open kitchen 2019

And second, the occupation of a niche that cannot be reached by the system is a prerequisite for gaining strength and energy in order to be able to displace old systems in the subsequent step.

Organized education is an instrument of power. It was founded around 800 AD by Charlemagne. The goal was to create a unified class of officials with similar qualification in reading, writing and calulating to govern such a large empire.

Every subsequent social group has repeatedly viewed this educational system as a stable guarantee of its own survival and, if necessary, realigned its educational goals in the short term.

Anyone who talks about alternative education systems today should ask themselves whether he want to gain or stabilize power, whether he simply want to siphon off money from elites in a niche, whether he want to realign educational goals (with the hubris of making them binding for everyone else too) or whether he then wants to say goodbye to the idea of organizing education in systems.

The strategy of the classic offers intends to focus on the educational content, but does not question the structure of the mediation. Anyone who withdraws access to their child must be tracked by the system. He does not question the educational content at a parents’ evening. He questions the system.

colorgarden anchient drawing workshop 2019

So it is first of all to define a niche as such and then to recognize one.

In a reorganized world there will be a tension between the will to virtualize and the access to matter. The relocation of educational offers into virtual spaces is a trend. But it is accompanied by the desire to get all human-machine interfaces under the skin.

The Internet of Things is becoming the Internet of Thoughts.

APEAL summer school camp literature workshop 2018

High infrastructure costs do not pay off in the area. So this niche will develop in an area of low population density. The niche will also be found far away from mineral resources or other systemically important resources (like traffic routes).
Every instrument of power is subject to the laws of nature and also to the second law of thermodynamics. A consideration of the ROI for an investment will always lead to peripheral areas, which are not addressed in the first step. Niches will identify themselves as “too expensive” for the mainstream.

The escalation of violence to secure and expand power is also an escalation of the means chosen. Black powder is replaced by fact checkers.

Informal education is based on the natural needs of those who ask. These needs are difficult to predict. Nutrition seems to be becoming increasingly important.

Epicurus provoked the classical educational system of antiquity. Instead of erecting a new school building, he invited people to a garden. Instead of prescribing content, he created a space for the free flow of communication. Entering the room was linked to the acknowledgment of the principle of equality of the people who enter this room.
The niche will therefore be a social space in which the analogue dialogue is geared towards the needs of the communication partners. The teacher becomes a space builder. The conductor becomes the stage technician.

People’s strong urge to externalize their thinking, because their own thinking costs so much energy, leads again and again to the formation of roles. These roles (like that of a teacher) are adorned with privileges and burdened with conditions and restrictions. Above all, they are associated with a clear mission statement. The exemption from the task of gathering food is a hallmark of roles in a clan.

Leadership, healing, jurisdiction, defense are assigned to systemically relevant roles.
The niche will probably be characterized by the absence of roles… as well as the absence of rules.

Evolution is only recognized by those who remain behind.

CASAdelDRAGON - colorgarden living space 2019 — CASAdelDRAGON – colorgarden living space 2019

The gift to the new generation will be expressed in a wish: please do not disturb.

Memories III – the roots of CASAdelDRAGON in Castellon, Spain

2022/01/21Allgemein, CASAdelDRAGON, EL-DRAC Gallery, HU Cervera del Maestre, Memoriesfafe

casadeldragon - memorias - and let there be light - the challenge at the end — casadeldragon – memorias – and let there be light – the challenge at the end

An event does not take place when everyone is finished. It takes place when someone says: NOW!
Juan petry

After we had announced the first exhibition in the CASAdelDRAGON three and a half years earlier, and after more than a hundred people were already waiting in front of the door, it was time to put the lighting system installed the day before into operation. The test failed. The tension rose.

casadeldragon - memorias - and let there be light II - the challenge at the end — casadeldragon – memorias – and let there be light II – the challenge at the end

In the end a decision had to be made, the light wouldn’t go on in one room. So we improvised there. The guests didn’t care. They hardly noticed. All other rooms were bathed in bright and neutral light. It later turned out that several errors came together: you can’t really go troubleshooting with a defective bulb in a defective socket.

casadeldragon - memorias - the first show goes on - Josi Ganzenmüller - director of a theatre company nearby — casadeldragon – memorias – the first show goes on – Josi Ganzenmüller – director of a theatre company nearby

Antje, translator and interpreter and in Cologne also tour guide in her role… the first exhibition was very well attended. We were also very pleased that so many residents from the village had come by. Local connectivity is important and will remain so. The CASAdelDRAGON is a house for European culture – and thus also for the very local and very valuable culture.

casadeldragon - memorias - the real heroes - Sardinian service by Gabriella — casadeldragon – memorias – the real heroes – Sardinian service by Gabriella

Gabriella, the Sardinian, who, among other things, embellished the Aquarius at the entrance to the gallery with broken tiles, in her pleasant way of helping quietly in the second row, with the eye for what is important, with the strength of her Sardinian ancestors.

casadeldragon - memorias - the guests from near and far - joy and astonishment after the announcement three years earlier — casadeldragon – memorias – the guests from near and far – joy and astonishment after the announcement three years earlier

Visitors came to the opening from near and far. Half were from the village or the surrounding area, the other half came from more than 1000 km away. From the very beginning, the gallery was also a meeting place, the best prerequisite for bridging cultures, for understanding and respect.

casadeldragon - memorias - the real roots of familiafeliz - so many thanks to Corinna — casadeldragon – memorias – the real roots of familiafeliz – so many thanks to Corinna

On that day, two founders of Familiafeliz were standing together in the gallery and didn’t even know that they were both laying the seeds for everything that would arise in the years to come around the house of the dragon. The idea of maybe buying a rental house together in Cologne was not implemented, but the successful founding of our decentralized community was. Sometimes you can remember the moments, they are often small decisions, and yet they lead to great adventures.

casadeldragon - memorias - the artists - esp - fra - ger - Amigos en Arte I — casadeldragon – memorias – the artists – esp – fra – ger – Amigos en Arte I

Barbara Rombach, German-French glass artist, stands next to Jose Caldes, Antje Kalisch and Peter Buch. Along with Genevieve Girot, these were the first five representatives of European contemporary art whose works were exhibited under the title Amigos en el Arte 1.

casadeldragon - memorias - the artist Jose Caldes - famous and humble - a gifted painter from Benicarlo — casadeldragon – memorias – the artist Jose Caldes – famous and humble – a gifted painter from Benicarlo

The well-known painter and sculptor Jose Caldes spoke about the risks and opportunities of a contemporary art gallery in the region. Caldes was the first artist who was able to sell a work – on the day of the opening – to an English art lover and collector. Caldes passed away a few years ago after a long illness, his work is remembered, and his friendship, his noble nature.

casadeldragon - memorias - the true soul of the casa - Antje Schultz - relaxed and happy - after the art coup — casadeldragon – memorias – the true soul of the casa – Antje Schultz – relaxed and happy – after the art coup

There are those who are at the front of the stage, whether they like it or not. And there are those who make all this possible in the first place, through their patience, perseverance, their will to create something positive and their willingness to give. Antje is such a person. Always the real center, quiet, present, for the gallery, the house, the community. Thank you.