Category Archives: EL-DRAC Gallery

Memories III – the roots of CASAdelDRAGON in Castellon, Spain

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.

Memories II – the roots of CASAdelDRAGON in Castellon, Spain

casadeldragon - memories - the view of the dragon - facing the north north east - as part of a sculpture on top of the artist residence
casadeldragon – memories – the view of the dragon – facing the north north east – as part of a sculpture on top of the artist residence

It is and has always been a challenge to keep the artist residency CASAdelDRAGON open for guests and activities. Decoupled from public funding, every action, no matter how small, is a big task. On the other hand, what has been and is being achieved under these circumstances is a success story and sustainable, since it is not dependent on political sensitivities or depends on the monetary drip of lobbyists.

casadeldragon - memories - the artist residence and think tank of social art in Castellon
casadeldragon – memories – the artist residence and think tank of social art in Castellon

The artist residence and think tank in early spring at 12 o’clock.

The dragon’s house is a gallery and workroom and offers 17 beds. It is inhabited by people who come together to participate in a social sculpture. Art is one reason to come, another is health, education, politics or economics. At the beginning of 2020, the house also became a place of refuge, rest and meeting of people who had left in very compact Echo Chambers. CASAdelDRAGON as a place to meet, to build bridges and to approach, a place to experiment, with the option of failing and starting again.

casadeldragon - memories - the German artist Jo Pellenz in his second visit of the artist residence
casadeldragon – memories – the German artist Jo Pellenz in his second visit of the artist residence

Jo Pellenz is certainly one of the most important contemporary artists from the cathedral city of Cologne. He has visited the artists’ residence several times and left clear traces in the art and culture of the village of Cervera del Maestre. His magnificent installation in the Ermita Sant Sebastian with over 650 unique paper figures remains unforgotten.

casadeldragon - memories - a detial of the Casa Pacha Mama in Cervera del Maestre - a second destination of art in the beautiful village in Castellon
casadeldragon – memories – a detial of the Casa Pacha Mama in Cervera del Maestre – a second destination of art in the beautiful village in Castellon

The second building in the mountain village of Cervera del Maestre, which is dedicated to art, is called CASA PACHA MAMA. Inconspicuous in a small street in the middle of the village, it shows a facade with mosaic and sculpture. You have to be almost exactly in front of it to see this facade. It was inaugurated in the vuelta del Arte in 2009 with an installation by the Mexican artist Rosana Velasquez.

casadeldragon - memories - detail of the first exhibition in the dragon house gallery in Cervera del Maestre Castellon Spain
casadeldragon – memories – detail of the first exhibition in the dragon house gallery in Cervera del Maestre Castellon Spain

The CASAdelDRAGON is dedicated to social art. At the opening of the first exhibition, the artist Juan Petry asked his guests to write down words that they wanted to give the place as “good wishes” along the way.

casadeldragon - memories - Neigungsgruppe Strom - core team of the helpers to open the first time the gallery of the artist residence
casadeldragon – memories – Neigungsgruppe Strom – core team of the helpers to open the first time the gallery of the artist residence

More than 150 people from all over the world helped to rebuild the house. In over 20 years they have rebuilt a 750 year old stone house and filled it with life. In the preparations for the first exhibition after 20 years of construction, these two friends in the “Electronics inclination group” helped assemble the installation for the professional lighting system. The material (ERCO – rails and lights) comes from a former department store in Isalohn (Germany) and was only purchased 6 weeks before the opening of the exhibition.

casadeldragon - memories - David Sales - friend and construction worker in final steps to finish the gallery space
casadeldragon – memories – David Sales – friend and construction worker in final steps to finish the gallery space

It was always the declared goal to bring the activities of CASAdelDRAGON together with the people of the region. The builder David Sales, friend, companion of the Casa and specialist in old building materials, helped to prepare the rooms of the gallery.

casadeldragon - memories - Heide Schultz - friend and core helper and supporter of the artist residence working on a 750 year old wall in the gallery
casadeldragon – memories – Heide Schultz – friend and core helper and supporter of the artist residence working on a 750 year old wall in the gallery

Heide Schultz should be named as one of many helpers and should be remembered. She has supported the activities of the casa for years and of course also helped in the preparation of the first exhibition.

casadeldragon - memories - Margret - friend and core helper of the artist residence working for the finish of the gallery space
casadeldragon – memories – Margret – friend and core helper of the artist residence working for the finish of the gallery space

The floors of the natural bulges of the back walls are laid with river stones from the RAMBLA CERVERA. Margret had helped collect these stones and contributed a lot to the fact that we were able to open the first exhibition on time, three and a half years after we announced this vernissage!

casadeldragon - memories - installation detail of the gallery space - thanks to Björn working without any errors since more than 15 years
casadeldragon – memories – installation detail of the gallery space – thanks to Björn working without any errors since more than 15 years

This is a detail from the construction period. The cable harnesses all lead to a junction box that brings together all the house electrics. Thanks to Björn, a Cologne street artist and electrician, this installation is still working today without any failures.

casadeldragon - memories - living room of the artist residence - waiting for floor and finish - donated wooden beams from WESTERWALD
casadeldragon – memories – living room of the artist residence – waiting for floor and finish – donated wooden beams from WESTERWALD

The photo shows today’s living room of the CASAdelDRAGON, today a meeting place. Since then, more than 2000 (!!) visitors have entered this room, students, pupils, artists, creative people from all over the world.

casadeldragon - memories - peter buch and jo pellenz in dialog
casadeldragon – memories – peter buch and jo pellenz in dialog

CASAdelDRAGON is also networked with other important art venues in the region. A friend and mentor in the field of sculpture is Peter Buch (left). His “Jardi de Peter” is an impressive destination for the region’s contemporary art.

All these photos – and another 100 – were shown together for the first time in an installation in the rocket club in Cologne’s southern part. This was a social art event, a personal celebration and a music and theater event with Dj Joachim (DREAMS Koblenz) and many guests.

These photos will also be published as part of the Artsurprise art project and as part of an installation in Colorgarden, the CASAdelDRAGON campus.

las ultimas horas – a little story about everything and the dignity of giving

This is a story about an exhibition in CASAdelDRAGON in 2020 and 2021, about a 49 year long friendship, about attention trafficing of yellowpress imperialism, about our tipping points in science, meaning and life. It is a story about the liberation from the paradise of ignorance and a story about the gift of love of letting go and the dignity of giving love without expectation.

Disclaimer: You need about 5 minutes to read this article, but a lifetime to experience it. Please ask your doctor or pharmacist about risks and side effects.

Las ultimas horas is the title of the running exhibition in CASAdelDRAGON, our community guest house, artist residence, think tank and experimental playground for social art projects. It is an exhibition with works from several international artists, all exhibited in the last 14 years in the art gallery in the basement. The exhibition is open for the public on saturdays and sundays from 10am to 2pm.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-01
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-01

In the phase of the reconstruction of the CASAdelDRAGON we needed transport routes for heavy loads. For this purpose, openings were provided in the ceilings in order to transport the materials to higher levels. At the beginning of the expansion of the gallery, these transport routes could be closed.

But the history of this exhibition is also a reference to the birth of this place for art. More than 17 years ago we started to dissolve the material warehouse for the reconstruction of the CASAdelDRAGON and in 2007 we prepared the first exhibition opening in 5 months of hard labor. The photos in this article are from this time and remind us of the last hours before the entrance to the first vernissage. They tell the story of the “ultimas horas”, but also the story of all the people who made it possible for this social space to arise.

More than 200 people from many countries around the world had already helped to rebuild the CASAdelDRAGON. Some of these wonderful people had also agreed to help with the expansion, installation and preparation of the first exhibition in 2007. A very important person in the life of the builders of this social space was also there. And this article should also be about this woman who has been with us for so long.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-02
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-02

In the expansion phase, we used relatively modern building materials. This was also due to the fact that ecological building materials and wood treatment methods were not available. In any case, we did not want to use toxic materials to protect wooden structures and at that time we decided on reinforced concrete as the load-bearing element. The closing of the last transport hole also marked a farewell to an era in which this 700-year-old house was being rebuilt.

When guests visit the gallery today, they cannot see what preparations were necessary to make this visit possible. Architecture makes history, but the focus is often on the surface of things, the building becomes a selfie for the builder, and sometimes also for the architect who plans it. The CASAdelDRAGON is a place to remember the construction workers and their own history. It is a place that was created through the social interaction of those involved, through the cooperation between the actors. And it is a place that connects the history of these helpers with the many generations before who built the place Cervera del Maestre from the ruins of a military fortress, and the CASAdelDragon as one of the houses of this place.

Nowadays philosophers wonder whether the real world still has a chance over the virtual world. The helpless attempt of the so-called mainstream media by media extension of the regulars’ tables in the television studio and the claim of opinion journalism for supervised non-thinking must be stunned to see how the young wild Youtubers pass by with their click rates. As viewing habits change, so do attention spans. When data becomes a commodity, the oil of this time, then distributing likes turns into a better pregnancy test. Imperialists have always exchanged glass pearls for gold, but never proved that either one is enough for establishing personal happiness. But whoever holds the glass pearls in their hands and reproaches or complains about the exchange, has probably not quite understood it.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-03
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-03

The CASAdelDRAGON is also linked to Spanish history through the use of some building materials. The large wooden beam in the right photo was recovered from the beach of Vinaros after a violent storm. After that, it had waited twenty years for his appointment in the materials warehouse, the first floor, today’s gallery. It has found its place in a small store for the works of art that are not currently on view in exhibitions. There it spans an opening through which moisture can be released from the rocks behind the house. The beam is reminiscent of the Spanish Armada, its wood is naturally impregnated by salt water. The high camp is also a reference to local architecture. In the Middle Ages, the Florentine merchants kept their wool warehouses in high storages that were difficult to access; this architecture can still be found today in the nearby town of Morella.
Just as merchants kept their fine wool for the fashion world of young Italy back then, we are now storing the artifacts from the many exhibitions in the CASAdelDRAGON in just such high storage.

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) was almost finished when the expansion of the gallery began. The just discovered teraquarks turn physics on its head, or on its feet, depending on how you see it.
The scientific accompaniment of the narrative of the pandemic has raised the question in large parts of the population as to what knowledge was drawn there and for what purpose.

Just as dark energy and the vacuum catastrophe are affecting the current world view of physics, the academic world loses its footing when it entered the stage of politics. The simultaneity of contradicting theories as the basis for the acquisition of knowledge is the grail around which science should dance. When you enter the arena there are games and bread, but no space for discourse and contradiction. The only thing that counts is thumbs up or down. Anyone who reduces research results to fundraising becomes a dancing bear. Digital amnesia is longed for in the next few years. But whoever has forgotten cannot forgive either.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-04
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-04

Applying plaster to the wall is a magical moment. Before that, the eye is caught by all the cracks, different colors, bumps and artifacts from water and electrical installations. The eye sees this unfinished for years. Then one day a miracle happened. The loosely piled up becomes a unit, the space becomes visible and tangible. The acoustics change. A dark tone becomes sound. A space is a body. Just as bacteria inhabit our intestines, we inhabit these spaces. The interaction between space and residents should not be underestimated.

We were just in our twenties when we made the decision to rebuild an old house in the mountains of eastern Spain. The young life wanted to gain space. This room should be the basis for the new life that the room works out in order to fill it with ideas, projects, dreams and wishes. The gain in space quickly turned into an expansion of knowledge. It was the realization that this space was not borne by the builders, there was no atlas that makes room for the biosphere, there were countless helpers and preparers, there was this 700-year-old history of this building, which was newly developed , from a new generation with new ideas, from a ragged troop of enthusiasts who celebrated what they did every day.

The house was known in the village as “Old Mary’s House”. At the beginning of the 19th century it would be inhabited by a family dedicated to the wine trade. The word Parras in the street name is a reminder of this. The old Maria saw the beginning of the renovation of the house herself and visited us regularly. Even with walking disabilities, it was her concern to see how the house was rebuilt. The old people in the village encouraged us to keep going. Life in the house also means life in the village. They proudly led tourists to the house of the dragon. And so we realized. It wasn’t our house, it was the house of the village and its residents and visitors, and even during the reconstruction phase it was a guest house for all the helpers. The dragon winding around the fireplace has given the house a new dedication. He is looking towards the center of Europe, to the northeast, and he knows why.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-05
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-05

Our friend Jo was sitting in the kitchen and thinking about the lighting in the gallery.Sonia plastered a wall for the first time in her life. Juan erects a pillar to support an arch as part of a niche that will house fuse boxes and other electronics.

The preparations for the first exhibition were of a very fundamental nature. When rebuilding the house, we could not pay so much attention to the ground floor. It served as a warehouse for all the building materials. The CASAdelDRAGON consists of three separate buildings. The passage between the two larger parts has been completely rebuilt and also received a new lintel.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-06
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-06

The professional production of the broken tiles, the further processing and the finish, in many places the hardworking helpers have left their manual traces.

Colorful mosaics are installed in many places in the house. The visitors begin to smile and if they stay longer, some hesitantly ask whether they could also make such a broken tile mosaic.
The production is basically simple, the material science is clear. For some, the magic of contemplative action opens up. You sink into your flow and the hand finds the next piece without consciously thinking about it beforehand.
Despite the urgency of the approaching date of the opening, there is room in the CASAdelDRAGON, especially for young people to experience this for themselves.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-07
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-07

So it was ambitious to finish this arch. But it was also intended as a framework and stage to later present the art in an appropriate way.

Over the past 14 years, more than 40 exhibitions have taken place in the CASAdelDRAGON. The decision on the day of the first opening was made in mid-2003, about three and a half years earlier.

An event does not take place when everyone has finished. It takes place when the guests arrive.

Juan Petry

When we spread the news that we were going to open a gallery in a village in the mountains of Castellon, away from the big metropolises or major sights, we were smiled at by some. It would certainly not pay off, we were prophesied. But of course it would be nice to have such a place of international art nearby. And it is a social place of encounter, with the culture, with the guests and artists, with the village, the landscape and with oneself.
The power of the place can be felt. The walls seem to have recorded all the stories, conversations and encounters, keep them calm and slowly and steadily pass them on to new visitors. The building, as part of the village architecture, is a completely arched, classical, physical place. You can g**gle CASAdelDRAGON and find this and many other articles and photos, but you can only experience the atmosphere and the feeling if you come and visit this place.

Those who think differently these days can be assigned to two groups. There are those who are wrestling for the attention of the masses in the same virtual places. In the charm of the shaky smartphone videos, you get intoxicated by access, length of stay and screen time. But there are also others who seem to have withdrawn into private life, who stay quiet, not out of worry or fear, but because it corresponds to their nature. They practice patience and persist in their cause, they prepare for new guests and stay in the physical. They continue to orientate themselves towards real encounters, they draw their messages from the visible mouths of their counterparts. They keep their distance to injustice, violence and propaganda.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-08
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-08

The gallery has many niches and corners in which material can be stored or objects of art can be displayed. And again the plaster creates the feeling for the room.

Just as medicine is currently soaring towards increasingly daring theories, so is physics, too, and biology will follow suit in the years to come. The established professional opinion assumed that the DNA ultimately determines all processes in the cell and thus the organism and, to a certain extent, its social interaction with similar species. What the mRNA represents for biologists, the quarks are in physics. The desire to be able to describe the phenomena of the world in a unified theory is the longing for the truth, the true, which can and should be considered safe. Defending established opinion stands in the way of knowledge. To paraphrase the philosopher Popper, there is certainty only in the proof of inaccuracy.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-09
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-09

The gallery’s high storey is also getting valuable plastering. The floor of this art storage room was tiled by Oliver. He had already set up many exhibition stands in his life. His motto was: There is still something going on!

The plaster on the walls and ceilings of the gallery is based on marble dust, a waste product from the surrounding marble works. This dust is mixed with white cement and mineral paints. A light blue has been chosen for the ceilings. On the one hand, most visitors feel attracted by this color above them; on the other hand, this choice supports the color fastness of the works on display. The beige of the walls is reminiscent of the predominant stone of these old walls. The plaster has remained unchanged over the years, breathable and neutral with regard to the art on display.

In general, it can be observed in the sciences that computer-based simulation replaces field observation. To do this, the complexity of the issue has to be reduced, especially where no measured values can be incorporated. Many medical statements today are based on simulations. The economization of the sciences inevitably leads to a conflict of interests. Assumptions can become certainties in the interests of the sponsors.
As in all belief systems, the high priests are trained who, because of their professionalism, preach the faith and do not tolerate contradiction. The objection outside of the subject is rejected as it is. The ranks of the elite in the certainty of their interpretive authority becomes a bulwark for those who think differently. All power emanates from the people, but it does not seem to return there. The educated elites have rarely shaped the citizens’ movements, their sons and daughters very much.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-10
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-10

Old clay tiles found their place in this wall. We had pulled them out of the beach and collected them in many visits to the sea. It was a funny picture as we got out of the cars with construction buckets and beach mats in Vinaros. We found our treasures in the rubble. The old people watched us and knew what we were doing.

One thing is secretly doing good things. You lose energy. The other is to do good things under the eyes of witnesses. You might get energy. Maybe that’s why we invent the angels on their clouds as children. To be able to imagine that someone is looking at us when we are doing the good things is reassuring. For many people, the CASAdelDRAGON and its guests are eyewitnesses. Of course this is not a house of angels. But it likes to send energy to team up with those who do the good things. Many healing professions also do the good things to get rid of the pain of the past. They see their good as confirmation of their ability to overcome the evil. Those who visit the House of the Dragon learn quickly … these people will simply carry on their tragedies.

When people find that they feel balanced when they do the good or when they don’t do the good… then … and only then … their release begins. When they see they have to, they must, they are still locked in their story. Otherwise they give food to what there are working against. If people are sure that they have no reason … then they could let the good things happen around them.

las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-11
las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-11

Six days before the first exhibition opening, the floor of the gallery still looked like this. Many friends and neighbors from the village shook their heads and said we couldn’t possibly manage that: to finish and to open the gallery on time.

Creating a place of positive energy requires the donation of this energy. Sometimes more than 20 people were working in all the places in the house the last few days before the first opening. Back then, we cut the last few weeks, days and hours together in a photomontage. The original video is lost, but a remake with original photos has been published (“las ultimas horas“).

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las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-12

Like every construction site in life, the construction of the gallery was a logistical challenge. The place of the action was warehouse, workshop and construction site in one.

Just as the reconstruction of the CASAdelDRAGON was a joint effort over many years, the creation of the gallery is also thanks to teamwork.
Leaders in particular often do not realize how little they can create on their own. The fragmentation of society, lamented by many, the promise of salvation in the individual approach, the dogmas of Western values have all contributed to anchoring people in their isolation. The natural experience of the physical, the manual work, they have given way to the screen time. The emptiness sets in when they meet for a beer and really they start only the z**m.

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las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-13

The stairs were built and used daily. The organic railing was built from reinforcement iron, rabbit wire, mortar and white tile adhesive.

The story of the building of the gallery was and remains the story of its builders. It was thanks to their dedication, their courage, and their perseverance that this work could be completed. There was tremendous power and strength in working together for the common goal. We experienced and enjoyed this time as a community. At this point in time there was still no talk of FamiliaFeliz. But the will to found our decentralized community seven years later was also borne by the memory of this time.

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las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-14

Six hours before the opening: Antje fills stones from the river bed into the showcases that are embedded in the floor.

These showcases offer a very unusual perspective on the works of art. And many people, standing unintentionally on the bulletproof glass became frightened and backed away immediately. But anyone who has this experience is burned by the appearance of the work of art insode the showcase… forever.

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las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-15

A power strip, a HQI spotlight, a test lamp (defective), the light does not come on – find the fault – one minute before “door open”.

Work continued until the last hour. A problem with the lighting installlation put into question the achievement of the goal in the last few minutes. More than 100 guests were already waiting in front of the door, curious what had become of this project, interested in the art and the view into another world.

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las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-16

The first exhibition had the title Amigos en Arte, this was to be followed by more under the same title. After a few minutes, the first work of art was sold to an English test pilot and art collector.

With the opening, three and a half years of preparation came to an end. Again it was time to say goodbye to an era and venture into the unknown of the new.
A short while ago the sound of hammer and chisel could be heard, the groan of the cement mixer boomed through the empty rooms. Now it was dedicated to the voices of the visitors who turned their eyes to the art. A short while ago it was still the dust of the construction site in the mouth, now the palate enjoyed the champagne.

In 2020/2021 the gallery showed the exhibition las ultimas horas. It spans many of the exhibitions that have taken place in the gallery in the years since it first opened. The works of art are telling the story of the gallery. They are also telling the story of the artists who created them. The photos in this article are telling the story of the last hours before the first opening, and they are also telling the story of the helpers who made all this possible.

After reading this article, some may wonder what the connection is between the architectural history of a gallery, the creation of a social space, the experience of a temporary community in action for a common goal, the paradigm shift in the sciences, the agony of old and the dawn of the new media.

As always, the key lies in the human itself, and the memory of a particular person may help with that.

It is the boundless love for people, the respect and attention, the quiet but powerful work from the second row, what has distinguished people like Heide Brandt. She was able to give her communities a center, a point of reference in navigating their own lives. She was there for the others, and enough for herself. She endured, carried and contributed. She listened carefully, motivated and encouraged. She was a friend of contemporary and modern art, a collector of selected prints and drawings, she was a teacher for all of us. Heide had accompanied the reconstruction of the CASAdelDRAGON over the years, sometimes from a distance, sometimes on site. Of course, she was there in the last few hours before the first opening.

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las-ultimas-horas-casadeldragon-2007-2021-17

Heide passed away in early April of 2021. This article is dedicated to her.

HORA – Danish NGO – a change for youth in Castellon and many other regions in Europe

FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON - Castellon 2017 - welcome!
FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON – Castellon 2017 – welcome!

This is a story of youth from Romania. This is a story of a social entrepreneur in the house of the dragon. This is the story of a beautiful and brave village in Castellon. This is the story of a founder of a summer school in the little village Ciocănești close to Bucharest. And this is a story of success.

FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON – Castellon 2017 – Sorina (left)

FamiliaFeliz was visited in 2016 from Sorina. She decided to make a travel through different communities in Europe for her master thesis in social entrepreneurship in Copenhagen. She visited with a collegue CASAdelDRAGON to study the special arrangements of our decentralized living community. At the end of her visit she was very well connected to our ideas and principles and she said: “It would be a dream for my kids from the summerschool in Romania, if they could come to this place. Its magic, the village, the people, the kindness, the peace, and the opportunities for youth in the artist color garden of CASAdelDRAGON.”

Our answer was short: “Lets make it happen…!”

FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON - Castellon 2017 - Serban
FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON – Castellon 2017 – Serban

Less than 10 month later Serban, the president of a little NGO in Ciocănești (a village close to Bucharest) was sitting on the terrasse in the house of the dragon and said: “I can not belive, its true.”

Sorina took the risk to pay out of her private budget the flights for a group of youth, FamiliaFeliz organised travels inside of Spain and accomodation and food.

FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON - Castellon 2017 - Font de Salut
FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON – Castellon 2017 – Font de Salut

For nearly all of the youth it was the first time out of their country, it was the first flight, the first bath in the mediterranean sea, the first trip without parents, the first immersion in a new language, a different culture and a life in an open house with lots of art and music.

The irrepressible will to take in as much as possible, to enjoy as much as possible and to share the joy with everyone in the village was evident every minute.

FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON - Castellon 2017 - team meeting
FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON – Castellon 2017 – team meeting

The youth prepared an activity for the local school, a social art project in the color garden of CASAdelDRAGON.

FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON - Castellon 2017 -  local school
FamiliaFeliz romanian guests in CASAdelDRAGON – Castellon 2017 – local school

Sorina co-organised before and after many youth activities in Romania and Juan form FamiliaFeliz joined the team in Bucharest to realise some workshops for trainers, teachers and the management (game of life) of the summer school, also workshops (trencadis, catering) for youth of the region in the following years.

Sorina finshed her studies and started an NGO in Copenhagen, called HORA, related to a traditional Romanian folk dance in which the dancers hold each other’s hands and the circle usually rotates counterclockwise as each participant follows a sequence of three steps forward and one step back. The greek routs of the word are related to circle, singing an celebrating.

Four years later Sorina knocked on the door of CASAdelDRAGON again, and explored in a video panel the possibilities to invite, FamiliaFeliz, the village of Cervera del Maestre and the youth of the region, to participate in international youth projects in the future.

The panel is published on rumble here.

FamiliaFeliz as an open think tank for new social art movements and CASAdelDRAGON as a cultural spot in the region of El Maestrat in Castellon confirmed support to the new NGO in Copenhagen, founded by Sorina on Christmas 2020.

You can follow HORA on social media (1,2).

As menioned before, this is a story of youth from Romania. This is a story of a social entrepreneur in the house of the dragon. This is the story of a beautiful and brave village in Castellon. This is the story of a founder of a summer school in the little village Ciocănești close to Bucharest. And the best… the story is true.

puertas abiertas 2020

puertas abiertas 2020
puertas abiertas 2020

Open doors – a weekend in peace in the garden of Epicurus – meet like-minded people and exchange ideas with others about the chances of a decentralized community with a common economy. Take a close look and experience the realistic everyday life beyond roles and expectations, beyond security and hierarchy. On a long weekend we have a lot of time to watch and listen and we look forward to your visit… Please use this form… Registration is mandatory. We will contact you soon.

CASAdelDRAGON – Cervera del Maestre – Castellon – Spain

Some articles about us: Community | 2020 and the second wave | social streetwork | social media – social distancing |

We can offer places for your tend, trailer, caravan, mobile van and we have limited places in the CASAdelDRAGON (please take your slepping bag!). We start Saturday at 3pm and we end Sunday at 11pm. You can arrive Friday and leave Monday.

2020 and the second wave

the second wave - creativity for the future
the second wave – creativity for the future

We are entering autumn 2020 and the meaning of the words is shifting. There is no other conceivable second wave than that of sick people who overload health systems. But what a human hubris to call one wave a second and thus declare another to be the first. We are the children of our biosphere and not its creator. So you may remember other second waves this fall and the fact that there are still many – maybe good – waves to follow. There is an opportunity in every crisis.

After a turbulent spring with a lot of communication around the community, the summer has become increasingly quiet. Most people have withdrawn into private life and are preparing for a tough, economically difficult winter. There is also a noticeable fatigue in the discussion and the unwillingness to deal with something that one sees as defenseless. The substitute act in self-perception easily becomes the actually intended act.

But there is also light. The reflection on what is really important, on the moments of happiness and one’s own satisfaction and the sources from which one can and can draw, is given space and affects and shapes the future.

the second wave - the big is embedded in the little
the second wave – the big is embedded in the little

The CASAdelDRAGON is and will remain an eternal construction site of life. Embedded in the calm village life of Cervera del Maestre, founded by the Greeks in 331 BC, we are currently working on the new terrace edging made of broken tiles. In addition to the serpent, which in the face of time stretches into the sky, and on the other hand holds the fertile earth with its body, the house of the dragon will be populated by other beings in the near future.

And again it is an international cooperation. Arta from Latvia and Marianna from Slovakia put the work together from thousands of small ceramic pieces. The creative work in the fresh air, the joy of “flow”, the calm, the light, that is what makes us enjoy being human.
In a first wave in spring we dealt with gardening, food and the passing on of knowledge. The next step is to improve the infrastructure in the house. The terrace as a meeting place, as a cafeteria and podium, as a view of the wonderful starry sky of the Maestrazgo, should be given a festive setting that invites visitors to stay and appreciates its diversity.

the second wave - the crown of colors
the second wave – the crown of colors

In recent years this terrace has seen many guests. And will she be prepared for the guests who are coming soon. The second wave – as a term in feminism – was a movement of the emancipation of women from 1960. Spain, with its flourishing tourism and the slow opening of the country towards Europe, has opened doors for more rights, more freedom and a better quality of life. The situation was certainly precarious, my own family, like many others, was burdened with upheaval, unemployment and insecurity, and yet the task of letting go of the old freed people as a prerequisite for being able to grasp the new.

Again we are in a crisis, and again the old crumbles, and again few try to rule the many with fear. And again some will stand up, turn to the good, take positions and locate themselves and their work. The waves remain uncounted and they remain part of our nature. Humility and forgiveness will be the nourishment of the future.

the second wave - work in progress
the second wave – work in progress

Most people long for the authentic. They look for it in the great deeds and social media keeps showing up new heroes. Follow2ego. But the big things can be found in the small: at a Paquita in the village who supplies people with food in your shop every day, at María Asunción, who makes bread every day, with people like Jordi, who repeatedly invites you to make music many others who, like many others, fill this village with life.

It takes self-respect to really respect others. To be mindful, to observe, requires one’s own point of view. Although this may be a hypothesis and subjective, it is the prerequisite for bonding and connection.

the second wave - ready for take off
the second wave – ready for take off


The House of the Dragon has welcomed travelers in search of themselves for 700 years. Now we are putting a crown on it, colorful, full of memories, growing organically from the possibilities of our time. And look forward to the guests, the art and the life.

CASAdelDRAGON ist still open for guests. The homeunit in Spain might give shelter to some pilgrims on their way and is happy to be populated by hosts of the future.

Andreu – the universal language – memories

andreu - universal language - performance in CASAdelDRAGON
andreu – universal language – performance in CASAdelDRAGON

On saturday the 15. of August in 2020 our friend and great artist Andreu Ubach died of cancer.

So many things to say about this honest and mindful man, so many memories are coming up about his music performances and intensive talks about live, values and sense.

Music is the universal language of mankind.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In August 2019 he gave us a performance in the house of the dragon: The sound of love!

andreu - universal language - performance in CASAdelDRAGON
andreu – universal language – performance in CASAdelDRAGON

Andreu enchanted his audience with fantastic music. He opened our souls access to another world, colorful, timeless, calm and full of peace. Whoever touched his instruments was touched by himself.

His music will not disappear.

The universe is music, we are its children and it can be heard within us.

andreu Ubach - please play for us
andreu Ubach – please play for us

The Picasso of Tomorrow

The Picasso of Tomorrow
The Picasso of Tomorrow

Agnieszka Merta is a mother (of a 4 years old boy) and an artist. She is living in UK and Spain and she will offer a workshop about drawing and painting and sculpturing based on natural materials and inspired by nature.

I like to invite your children for a very special art class where our creative energy is inspired by nature. We will draw, paint and sculpt looking at the nature around us in the FamiliaFeliz community garden in Cervera del Maestre.

The sky, the ground, the trees and animals around us have always been inspiration for artists! Let your child imagination go, grow and blossom. Hope to see you soon

Agnieszka Merta, Artist

The workshop is created and held by a mother and professionally trained artist. The fee of 10 Euros per children includes all used materials. We will meet 26.04.2020 at 11 am in the color garden (or in case of bad weather events inside the CASAdelDRAGON).

For further information and answers to your questions please contact the artist directly: WhatsApp +447984458808 or mail agymerta/at/gmail.com.

mosaic workshop in the art camp of CASAdelDRAGON

taller-trencadis-castellon
taller-trencadis-castellon

A l’abril de 2020, famíliafeliz et convida a fer un taller artístic sobre un mosaic trencadís. El taller tindrà lloc els dies 11 i 12 d’abril de 2020, de 10h a 13h i de 15 a 17h. El taller és gratuït per a adults i nens (edat mínima de 8 anys acompanyats per un adult participant) i s’inclouen menjar i begudes. Les places són limitades. Aquest taller està relacionat amb esdeveniments anteriors a Espanya i Alemanya i també amb l’exposició de la casa del drac.

El punt de trobada és la residència d’artistes CASAdelDRAGON 11.04.2020 a les 10.30h o a l’entrada del jardí de colors a les 11.00h.

Les persones que facin el taller i estiguin interessades a fer servir l’opció d’allotjament poden registrar-se al 10.04.2020 a partir de les 17:00 o les 23:00. fins a les 9.00 hores.

Si voleu fer el taller, poseu-vos en contacte amb Juan / at / petry.eu o utilitzeu el WhatsApp 0049 16099131933. Si necessiteu allotjament, podríem oferir places limitades a la residència d’artista CASAdelDRAGON des del dia 10.4.2020 al 13.04.2020.

 L’objectiu principal del taller és comprendre la tècnica i les estratègies d’obres d’art mosaic més grans, així com realitzar algunes noves obres d’art per al jardí de colors de CASAdelDRAGON.

Si voleu participar, poseu-vos en contacte amb nosaltres abans del 05.04.2020 a les 12h.

Taller de trencadís
CASAdelDRAGON
Residència d’artistes
Las Parras, 19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castelló

In April 2020 FamiliaFeliz envites for an artistic workshop about trencadis ( mosaic ). The workshop will happen 11 and 12 of April 2020 each day from 10am to 1pm and from 3pm to 5pm. The workshop is free for adults and kids (minimum age 8 years, guided by one partent) and includes food and drinks. Places are limited. This workshop is linked to previous events in Spain and Germany and also to the upcoming exhibition in the house of the dragon.

Meeting point is the artist residence CASAdelDRAGON 11.04.2020 at 10.30am or at the entrance of the color garden at 11.00am.

Guests who want to use the accommodation option are able to checkin 10.04.2020 after 5pm or 11.04. till 9.00am.

If you are interested in this workshop please contact juan / at/ petry.eu or use WhatsApp 0049 16099131933 . If you need accomodation we could offer limited places in the artist residence CASAdelDRAGON from 10.4. to 13.04.2020.

The main goal of the workshop is to understand technique and strategies of larger mosaic art works and to realize some new pieces of art for the color garden of CASAdelDRAGON.

If you want to partizipate please contact us before 05.04.2020 12pm !

taller de trencadis
CASAdelDRAGON
Artist residence
Las Parras,19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castellon

All about LOVE – participative art event

all about love - participative art event
all about love – participative art event

Com a part d’un projecte social i artístic a CASAdelDRAGON aquest 2020, us convidem a un acte molt especial. El diumenge 22.03.2020 a les 11h ens trobarem al Jardí del Color de la Familiafeliz. Allà pintarem i dibuixarem junts i juntes durant dues hores. Aquest esdeveniment està connectat a accions anteriors dutes a terme tant a Espanya com a Alemanya i també amb l’exposició de la Casa del Drac.

T’interessa? Genial. Anoteu la vostra participació. Oberta la inscripció fins el 20.03.2020 a les 12h a través del correu electrònic (Juan / at / petry.eu) o utilitzeu WhatsApp 0049 160 99131933 (artsurpriseme).

Per participar a l’esdeveniment és gratuït. Els punts de trobada són a les 10.30h al carrer CASAdelDRAGON Las Parras, 19 12578 Cervera del Maestre o a les 11h a l’interior del camp d’art al jardí de colors (1000m baix del turó de CASAdelDRAGON).

All about LOVE (Tot sobre l’Amor)
esdeveniment artístic participatiu
CASAdelDRAGON
Las Parras,19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castellón

Inici 11:00 / Durada 2 hores / Entrada lliure / places limitades / Sol·licitar fins el 20.03.2020 12:00

As part of the artistic and social project of CASAdelDRAGON in 2020 we invite you for one very special art event. Sunday 22.03.2020 at 11am we will meet in the color garden of familiafeliz. We will paint and draw together in a two hour session. This happening is linked to previous events in Spain and Germany and also to the upcoming exhibition in the house of the dragon.

You are interested? Great. Please announce your partizipation till 20.03.2020 12am via email (juan / at / petry . eu) or use WhatsApp 0049 160 99131933 (artsurpriseme).

To participate in the event is free of charge. Meeting points are 10.30am at CASAdelDRAGON Calle Las Parras,19 12578 Cervera del Maestre or 11am inside the art camp in the color garden (1000m down the hill from CASAdelDRAGON).

All about LOVE
participative art event
CASAdelDRAGON
Las Parras,19
12578 Cervera del Maestre
Castellon

Start 11am / Duration 2 hours / Entrance free / limited places / Apply till 20.03.2020 12am