Soccer in South America is just as important as soccer in Europe. Almost all countries participate in it intensively. For example, there are two, very famous, leagues of South America and two more famous national leagues of the great and soccer-powerful countries Argentina and Brazil.

The most important soccer tournament in Latin America is similar to the European Champions League and is called "Copa Libertadores". Its literal translation would be "Cup of Liberators of the Americas." It is an annual tournament set up by Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol (CONMEBOL), the soccer federation of South America. All South American countries except Suriname, French Guiana and Guyana, which are members of CONCACAF in North America, are members of CONMEBOL. The tournament is played with the national South American soccer clubs. The countries participating are: Chile, Brazil, México, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and last but not least Argentina. Each country provides a number of clubs to compete in this cup competition. Argentina and Brazil are the biggest countries in this, they provide 5 clubs where the rest of the countries provide 3. The current champion of this tournament is the Brazilian club 'Corinthians', they won the final from Argentina's 'Boca Juniors' in 2012.

In addition to the soccer tournament specific to Latin America, South America also has another popular tournament. Since 1916, CONMEBOL has organized the "Copa América. This tournament can be compared to the Africa Cup and the European Football Championship, among others. The participating countries are the members of CONMEBOL (as mentioned above) with, starting in 1993, two host countries from other continents each time. To date, México has hosted 7 times, but Costa Rica, the United States and Japan have also participated in the tournament.

The two largest countries in South America are Brazil and Argentina, so it is not surprising that they both have their own league; a national league. Brazil is a large country with many strong soccer teams. The best clubs are "Santos," "Palmeiras" and "São Paulo. Leagues are held from May through December among the 20 national clubs. There are home and away matches for each club. The national league used to be divided into state championships. Not because they did not know of each other's existence, but because at that time travel was difficult in such a large country like Brazil. Nowadays, of course, this is easier and all clubs can play against each other. Nevertheless, Brazilian state championships are still important because of tradition and local rivalries.

Not only Brazil has its own competitions, Argentina is also a big country with strong teams and has its own league. In Argentina, they have "Primera División. In this there are two leagues: the Torneo Final and the Torneo Inicial. There used to be the Apertura and the Clausura, but from these it was not clear who the real champion was. You will not see this system easily in Europe, but it does occur in other countries in South America. This newer format of the Torneo Inicial and the Torneo Final resulted in one winner instead of two. The champions of Inicial and Final would then compete for the title. In the end, the Argentine federation AFA still found it difficult to declare one winner and the winners of Inicial as well as Final are considered champions. However, it gets even crazier; the winner of the final between Inicial and Final can call himself the big winner of Argentina and so it seems that the AFA does not want to opt for the new system quite yet and so there are three champions every year.

Spectacular Caves in Spain

Intense summer heat often lingers on as summer draws to a close, inspiring us to seek a little cool break from the sun. Scenic caves and grottos offer an unexpectedly refreshing itinerary option. Here’s a quick round up of Spain’s ten most attractive caves; intriguing places that have quietly awaited our presence since pre-historic times:

Film Festival in San Sebastian

The International Film Festival in San Sebastian, Spain is the most prestigious festival in Spain and, in addition, one of the most important festivals in Europe, because of the leading films presented there and their international impact. It is the only film festival in Spain that is considered an A category event, one of only 13 in the entire world! The festival is held in Donostia-San Sebastian, one of the most beautiful northern cities in Spain, located on the coast of the Basque Country region. During this period, the city hosts well-known movie stars such as, Robert De Niro, Richard Gere, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mel Gibson, Demi Moore, Naomi Watts and Brad Pitt and great directors such as Roman Polansky, Francis Ford Coppola and Pedro Almodovar.

The official awards for the San Sebastian Film Festival are: Golden Shell for Best Film, Silver Shell for Best Director, Silver Shell for Best Actress, Silver Shell for Best Actor , Special Jury Prize, Jury Prize for Best Cinematography, Jury Prize for Best Screenplay.

Film festival in Málaga

The film festival in Málaga is only for Spanish cinema and thus is not internationally oriented. The official name of the event is "Festival de Málaga Cine Español (FMCE)," and it has been carrying the Spanish film industry since 1998. As most know, Málaga is the hometown of the famous, international actor Antonio Banderas; one of the reasons the city has such a strong connection to Spanish film. Official awards of this festival are: the Golden and Silver Bignagas for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Music, Best Cinematography et cetera. In recent editions, the festival also admits Latin American Spanish-language films in the Territorio Latinoamericano (literally: Latin American Territory) section. The result of admitting Latin American films is a renovated boost in Spain of this lesser-known film sector as well as the sharing of ideas between the two.

Sitges Festival

Besides the famous film festivals in Málaga and of course San Sebastian, Sitges in the autonomous state of Catalonia also has a film festival: 'El Festival de Cinema Fantàstic de Sitges / Catalunya'. It is one of the most famous film festivals. The Sitges festival first took place in 1967 in, how could it be otherwise, Sitges; a tourist city on the Mediterranean Sea, 40 km away from Barcelona. Sitges is a great place for all film lovers to admire the best new and upcoming films in special screenings. In past editions, the festival received as many as 50,000 spectators! Throughout the festival, some of the most famous directors, producers and actors have shared their new work. Some of the big names that have walked the red carpet of the Sitges Film Festival are: Vin Diesel, Tony Curtis, Guillermo del Toro, Jeroen Krabbé, Eli Roth, Joanna Cassady, Julia Adams, Guy Maddin, David Cronenberg and many more! In addition, these important films, among others, proudly celebrated their debut at this festival: Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001), The Bourne Identity (2002), Kill Bill (2003), The Holy Mountain (1973), Mulholland Drive (2001), and many others. The film festivals in Spain put Spain on the map!

Romantic Poets

From Juan Arolas to Jose Espronceda, the Spanish literary canon is littered with romantic genius to rival even that of the prolific and widespread Romantic Movement in the United Kingdom with John Keats, William Wordsworth and William Blake. Although the lifespan of the Spanish romantic period was perhaps shorter than elsewhere, it was arguably more intense. The Movement, which took place at the beginning of the 19^th Century, was characterized by a focus on emotion, yet the romantic poets also celebrated the beauty and divinity of the natural universe, the vastness of the imagination, and the liberation of the individual. Art itself became freer, with symbols and myths often used, and value was placed on the marginalized within society. Poetry often dealt with the notion of ‘passionate love’, with its extremes of emotion, introspectiveness and the search for the ‘self’.

The focus on the self is best encapsulated by Jose de Espronceda. In 1839, Espronceda published El Estudiante de Salamanca, a collection comprising of two thousand verses, which narrates the story of the characters of Elvira and don Felix de Montemar. In 1840, Poesías was published, a collection of poems bringing together his most intense romantic pieces, with the neoclassic poems he penned during his youth. Notable poems in this collection include El Verdugo (The Executioner), Canto Del Cosaco (Song of the Cossack) and Cancion Del Pirata (Song of the Pirate). His well known Canto a Teresa was supposedly inspired by an affair, and formed part of his collection El Diablo Mundo, made up of extensive lyric poems which have become emblematic of the Romantic Movement in Spain. Another poet of mention is Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda, a Cuban poet who produced a variety of poetry in the Spanish language during the 1830s; she wrote her famous love sonnet ‘Al partir’ on leaving Cuba for Spain, and the poem encapsulates the strength of her love for her country, a diversion from the subject matter typical of most sonnets.

Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, although writing while the concept of realism took hold in Spain, directly after the romantic period, produced some more commonly known Spanish ‘love’ poetry. Amor Eterno for example deals with the tumultuous literary relationship between love and death, and expresses that even death could not apagarse la llama (extinguish the flame) of the narrator’s love. Bécquer’s Rimas, written from 1859 onwards, were structured in short stanza forms, and were both erotic and musical; they totaled several thousand lines in length and are generally considered to have formed the foundation of contemporary Spanish poetry, expressing internal conflict relating to hopelessness in love, disillusion and solitude. A recurring motif in Bécquer’s collection is that of birds, with las oscuras golandrinas, or the dark swallows, signifying the end of an intense romantic relationship in Rhyme 53. Rhyme 21 is widely considered one of the most famous Spanish language poems, and contains the quotation ‘Poesía... eres tú’, which is perhaps an allusion to the value of art inspired by romance.

Though brief, the romantic period in Spain had a marked influence on the evolution of literature both within Spain itself and across the globe, and while it did not always directly deal with the concept of romance, writers were infatuated by the natural universe, and the beauty in freedom. Their legacy and influence is certainly noticeable, with contemporary Hispanic writers from Lorca to Neruda echoing their focus.  

Reggaeton

Reggaeton (sometimes written as reguetón) is a musical style from Latin America that originated from different musical styles and different countries. However, the origins of reggaeton are most commonly associated with Puerto Rico, where the music became popular and was also incorporated into commerce.  Reggaeton quickly spread through Latin America and has since achieved worldwide popularity.

Reggaeton music descends from "raggamuffin" or "raga" music, a subgenre of club music that in turn descends from reggae and hip hop. Reggaeton can be distinguished by its controversial Spanish lyrics, rapped and sung, provocative style and influences from various Latin American music styles such as bomba and salsa. In addition, reggaeton is recognizable by the "Dem Bow" beat, first popularized by Shabba Ranks in 1991.

Reggaeton developed as an urban movement aimed at youth, much like hip hop in the United States. Reggaeton is very much related to a style of music known as Perreo, derived from the Spanish word perro (dog), which refers to the obscene and sexually explicit dance moves.

The history and origin of reggaeton is somewhat controversial, as it mixes different musical genres and influences. Reggaeton once began with Panama's Spanish reggae style, an adaptation on Jamaican reggae. Nevertheless, according to general consensus, reggaeton originated in Puerto Rico, where it evaluated into the reggaeton we know today and is known and popular worldwide. Moreover, the most famous reggaeton artists are Puerto Rican. The development of reggaeton has been influenced by American hip hop, Puerto Rican rhythms and other influences of Latin American music.

Reggae Music

Reggae music originated in Jamaica and developed as more and more new sounds and rhythms were added. In 1985, Chico Man performed in Panama with a Spanish Reggae act. At the same time, Spanish rap emerged in Puerto Rico and Vico C. performed with it. A new, Latin American, musical movement developed throughout North and South America.

In the 1990s, Spanish and Jamaican reggae, as well as Spanish rap, were very popular. This trend laid the foundation for what eventually became today's reggaeton. The first popular reggae songs were: Demwbow, by Nacho Boom; Pantalón caliente, by Poncho Pan; Dulce, by La Atrevida; Muévelo y Son Bow, by el Gran General and many successes by Gringo Man.

Between 1993 and 1994, a new movement began in Puerto Rico. The first reggaeton sounds, called "under," were distributed through secret networks of young people. The movement became known for its controversial music and one of the main producers at the time was DJ Playero. The new genre developed and with time the names of the music changed: Melaza, then música underground, followed by Dem Bow, to finally become Reggaeton.

Reggaeton spread and rose to a nice popularity with the help of DJ Playero, DJ Nelson and DJ Eric. Reggaeton was no longer an underground music style, but had exploded to the top of mainstream Latin music. Some famous Reggaeton artists include Don Chenzina, Tempo, Master Joe & OG Black, Baby Rasta & Gringo and Lito & Polaco.

DJ Blass and artists Plan B and Speedy helped expand the movement to the United States. By 2004, reggaeton music had already achieved popularity in the U.S. and Europe, thanks to Reggaeton groups such as Tego Calderón, Daddy Yankee, Hector y Tito, Luny Tunes and Noriega, Yaga y Mackie and many others. Other important Reggaeton musicians are: Alexis & Fido, Angel & Khriz, Nina Sky, Nicky jam, Zion, RKM & Ken-y, Voltio, Calle 13, Hector "El Father", Ivy Queen, Wisin & Yandel, Tito "El Bambino" and Don Obar.

The most famous international Reggaeton songs are Daddy Yankee's hit single "Gasolina" and Shakira's "La Tortura. Both songs came out around 2005 and were worldwide hits that took reggaeton music to new heights.

Chile's National Independence Day

On Sept. 18, 1810, Chile declared independence from Spain. After an eight-year war, the Diechiocho, is now Chile's National Independence Day every year. This holiday, also called "Fiestas Patrias de Chile," is celebrated throughout the country with many festivities. Chile celebrates its independence with parades, parties, food, drink and music. Dance floors are laid out in large marquees, also called Ramadas, and a wide variety of Chilean traditional food is served in the so-called Fondas. Sept. 19 is also an important day for Chileans. Known as the "Day of the Glories of the Army," this day is celebrated at O'Higgens Park in Santiago de Chile. On this day is Chile's big military parade that attracts as many as millions of viewers.

• On Sept. 18 and 19, Chileans celebrate their independence with parades, parties, food, drink, music and a large military parade at O'Higgens Park in Santiago de Chile.
• Ramadas (large party tents) are set up with dance floors and Fondas (decorated tents) where Chilean cuisine is served.
• Chilean cuisine is very important during these holidays. The Chilean Empanada is the traditional dish: a kind of bread with a filling of pino, a mixture of minced meat, onions, boiled eggs raisins and olives.

The celebration of the Fiestas Patrias is an expression of Chilean culture. Festivities organized during these days include the Chilean rodeo, various street parties, the performance of the traditional dance the Cucea, visiting Fondas and Ramadas and barbecues. There is also a Catholic ceremony in the Plaza de Armas, led by the Archbishop of Santiago de Chile.

During the Fiestas Patrias, Chilean cuisine is very important. The favorite traditional Chilean drink during this festivity is the Chicha, a light alcoholic drink made from grapes, kind of like wine. In southern Chile, the preference is more for the apple Chicha. Chile's other national drink, Pisco is also very popular during these celebrations. This drink is also made from grapes but has a higher percentage of alcohol and tends more toward a brandy-like drink. Consuming traditional Chilean food is one of the most important activities during the Fiestas Patrias. Chileans prepare the food at home or in the so-called fondas, tents specially set up and decorated for this annual event. The predominant food is Chilean empanadas, which are baked from a type of bread. The filling consists of pino, a mixture of minced meat, onions, boiled eggs, raisins and olives. The barbecue is also very popular and as much as 50 million Dollars worth of meat is sold, during the Fiestas Patrias. The typical Chilean dessert not to be skipped is the Alfajor, the traditional cookie with a filling of caramelized milk.

No matter where you are in Chile during the independence celebrations, everywhere you will hear ¡Viva Chile! Going on vacation to Chile in September is highly recommended! Enjoy the spring-like weather, festivals, Chilean cuisine and of course the country itself.

Tomato festival in Spain

'La Tomatina' is a very popular tomato festival in Spain where some 45,000 people throw tomatoes at each other. It takes place every year in Buñol on the last Wednesday of August. Buñol is a small village 40 km from the Spanish city of Valencia. The festival has been around for more than 60 years, and every year more people from all over the world flock to the tomato throwing.

• It all started in 1945 during a parade of giants and big heads (Los Gigantes y Cabezudos) when a group of angry boys started throwing tomatoes during a scuffle. It is now one of Spain's most popular festivals.
• It begins the night before when, as part of tradition, large pans of paella are prepared on a fire. When the starting gun is fired at 11 a.m. the next day, the tomatoes fly around your ears and you are literally in the (tomato) puree. Less than 3 hours later, the village is completely clean of tomatoes and you don't see any more of them.

History of "La Tomatina

It is always interesting to know how an event began, especially with such a curious and funny event as 'La Tomatina'. During the event of the so-called 'Los Gigantes y Cabezudos,' a fight suddenly broke out and some angry boys looted a vegetable stand and started throwing tomatoes. They were arrested and had to pay for the damage done. Curiously, on the same day a year later, the same boys again began throwing tomatoes, this time brought from home. Again they were arrested. After keeping this up for several years, it became a tradition, but without official status.

Unfortunately, in 1957 the tradition was broken by a ban. Punishment followed for those who did throw tomatoes. A funeral was held by the residents, where they carried a coffin with a tomato and buried it.

A few years later, they were still allowed to continue the tradition, though with strict rules. From then on, things went fast. The tradition became more and more famous, climbing a soaped pole to get the ham became the starting shot of tomato throwing, in 1975 a festival organization for the event was created and from 1980 all the tomatoes are even sponsored by the village's municipality.

Course of the festival

Actually, it begins the night before when large pans of paella are prepared on a fire. In the morning, all the windows are covered to keep them from the red gunk as much as possible and then it can begin. First the soaped pole must be climbed (the winner gets a big leg of jámon serrano, smoked ham) and when the top is reached everyone shouts, "Tomatoes!" The fireworks are set off and the tomato throwing can begin. For a whole hour the tomatoes fly around your ears and nowhere are you safe from this red goo. It only takes a moment and you are already up to your shins in tomato paste. After an hour of chaos, fireworks are shot into the air again and everyone stops throwing them. The big cleanup can begin!

The big cleanup

Everywhere you look you see red. All the houses, all the people and all the buildings. This seems like an impossible job. Yet every year they manage to have the city spick and span after a few hours. Participants are sprayed clean with garden hoses and with the help of the fire department or simply take a dip in the nearby river.

Facts

The festival has always been free to all, until last time in August. Since 50,000 people already came to the small village last year, the festival organization chose to start selling a maximum of 20,000 tickets in order to limit the number of visitors.

In addition, there are some rules during the event, but fairly few people follow them. For example, you must first crush the tomato before throwing it and clothing may not be torn off. Also, it is not smart to climb stairs or the like since you will become the target of some 20,000 people.

Reza Emilio Juma is a talented young author that has recently released his first book Mil Besos  (A Thousand Kisses). Born in Toronto and raised in countries around the world, he attended and graduated from the University of British Columbia. Upon graduating he came to Spain and fell in love with the country and culture, especially the diverse cultural mix that Andalusia offers. Presently living and working in Mexico as a university professor, we caught up with him on his tour of Spain promoting his work—the story of a young boy's journey from adolescence to manhood all the while following his dreams.

Read the interview here

Why did you want to learn Spanish?

I was studying international relations and I thought it would be useful for my studies and future career.

What made you want to write your book in Spanish and not your native language? What is your native language by the way?

My native language is English, but I've lived the last 13 years in Spain plus 2 more in Mexico. Now, I can speak Spanish as well as English and I've found there are more linguistic options in a Spanish novel than in an English one.

What role has don Quijote played in your book?

I write about how a decision is made to come to Spain to study Spanish and I write about the don Quijote schools in Spain and the role they play in that experience.

What was your experience like at our school and how does it appear in your book?

The experience at don Quijote was very important to me. Not only was it the key to learning Spanish, but it also opened the doors for me to want live in Spain since it's there that I decided to call home and work to make a living.

Why did you decide on Elche and Granada for the location of your story? What do these cities have that others don’t?

Granada has always been special to me. Not only for its infinite beauty, but also for its magical qualities that can captivate anyone. It was also the first city in Spain that I got to know when I began my own personal adventure.

Who does your protagonist give a "thousand kisses" to in your book?

You'll have to read the book to find out.

Have you found what you were looking for in this life adventure or are you still looking?

The novel is fiction so I can't speak for the protagonist, but I continue to dream and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. It's what keeps me alive.

Tell us the truth: What is it that Granada has that Alicante doesn't? What does Alicante have that Granada doesn't?

Granada has the Alhambra—the greatest landmark in Spain, beautiful arabesque streets, a unique Moorish feel and Spanish guitars playing for you on every corner. There isn't another city like Granada anywhere else in the world.

Are your characters based on teachers or classmates from our school?

Not one. This is a fiction novel and although some of my experiences are reflected in it, the majority of the book is not related to any of my personal experiences. My stay at don Quijote Granada appears at the start of the protagonist's adventure. Personally, coming to Spain and spending those three months in Granada was a turning point in my life.

Tell us about the creative process. Did you take notes for your story during the breaks between classes? Did you find inspiration during any of the class excursions?

I was living in the jungle on the coast of Oaxaca when I wrote the book which was an important source of inspiration and it is there where the creative part of me came to the surface—before that I didn't know I had it in me. I lived and breathed my book. Since I already had an idea as to how the book would end, I wanted to finish it as quickly as possible; I had an idea and I decided to run with it. I wrote an average of six hours a day while sometimes going to bed at two in the morning. Sometimes I would wake up from dream at five in the morning and I would start writing because I wanted to include my dreams into the story and not let the moment slip away.

Did you use any Spanish writers as an example for your writing style?

I read many historical novels about Granada and Al-Ándalus like El Mercenario de Granada, Azafrán, A la Sombra del Granado, La Profecía del Corán, La Esclava, La Perla de Al-Andalús, El Perfume de Bergamota and La Escalera del Agua. They didn't influence my writing directly because my novel isn't one of historical fiction. Instead, my book is an adventure situated in the present day and written in the first person as if it were a diary. But, I must admit that after writing the novel there is one book, Son del Mar by Manuel Vicent that shares some similarities with mine.

In what city would you like your next novel to take place? Are you looking for a change or would you prefer to continue along the same lines?

I'm already playing with the idea that my second novel will take place in the jungle of Oaxaca where I've been living the last eight months. It's where I wanted to return not only to write, but to live as well. Right now it's where I'm most comfortable and where I feel most at home…at the moment.

As more than just a language, what has Spanish taught you?

I come from Canada and, like the US, money plays a fundamental role in daily life. Spain has history, culture and a population that is more conscientious of the political situation—not just in Spain but around the world. I have been in more than 25 countries and if I want, I can sit and have a caña and enjoy a nice intellectual or cultural conversation.

What advice would you give to someone that wants to come to Spain to increase their creativity?

The first day I arrived at the don Quijote academy, I distanced myself from groups of people that were speaking English. I tried to build friendships with the locals and that was, without a doubt, the most enriching experience for me. These new acquaintances and friends opened up a new world for me that wouldn't have been possible if I conformed to making friends with people from the same culture and the same language. Spain has so much to offer and one must live the experience as if they were just another Spaniard.

Assured of nice weather, but don't feel like staying in a hotel or apartment? Then camping in Spain is the ideal solution to really get away from it all! Spain is growing in popularity every year among campers and therefore has a wide range of campsites and camping options. It is relatively cheaper than staying in a hotel or apartment and the biggest advantage of camping is that you get in direct contact with the beautiful nature of Spain. Therefore, this form of tourism is perfect for families with young children and for people who do not want to stay directly in the city. At the campsite you can enjoy a stay in a quiet environment, directly in the open air with many opportunities for relaxation and entertainment.

• Popular regions for camping in Spain are Castile and León, Catalonia and Andalusia.
• The rich variety of landscapes in Spain makes camping so unique and special.
• Glamping: a combination of glamour and camping. For the camper who wants just a little more luxury.

Campsites in Spain

Throughout Spain there are several campsites present. These are classified by category. The classification system consists of four classifications namely: luxury, first class, second class and third class. These are currently not yet recognized nationally, but by autonomous region. Because of this, the quality in class may vary somewhat from region to region, so it is recommended to look carefully at the standards per region in advance. The camping high season is in the summer months of July and August when it is also high summer in Spain. Most campsites are open from April to September. Of course, some campsites are open longer and/or throughout the year. This is therefore an excellent time to travel to Spain and spend the winter here. This way you can escape the Dutch cold.

Popular regions are Castile and León, Catalonia and Andalusia. Zones that are busy for camping are Sierra de Gredos in Castile and León, the Costa Brava in Catalonia and the Costa del Sol in Andalusia. Numerous campsites can be found here. This also makes Spain perfect for traveling around with a camper or caravan due to the wide range and rich variety of landscapes throughout Spain. From the Pyrenees to the beaches of Costa del Sol, there are countless possibilities and something for everyone.

These opportunities also manifest themselves in the types of campsites. Traditional campsites, naturist campsites and camping farms are present in the most special natural areas. These campsites often offer a variety of camping options for your tent, camper or caravan. If you prefer to rent something, mobile homes, furnished tents and bungalows are also often available for rental. Nowadays, most campsites in Spain already have wifi as standard. Other facilities often depend on the campsite, classification and location. Traditional campsites are very suitable for families with young children. These child-friendly campsites therefore offer a wide range of cultural activities. There are also several camping farms available. Those interested in the countryside and nature can get the ultimate vacation feeling here in a more personal atmosphere.

Glamping in Spain

There are also naturist campsites available and there is still the more luxurious form of camping namely: glamping. Glamping is a combination of glamour and camping. This is still a fairly new form of camping. It is suitable for anyone who would like a little more luxury, but still wants to continue to enjoy an outdoor vacation. The price you have to pay for this is a lot higher than the average campsite, but the experience you get in return is unforgettable.

“I paint myself because I am so often alone, and because I am the subject I know best.”

60 years since the death of one of the world’s most iconic, and immediately recognizable artists, Frida Kahlo’s legacy is being brought to life once more in 2014 through the medium of dance. The show makes up part of the Grec Festival; an international circus, music, theatre and dance festival in Barcelona, marking part of an effort to revive artistic heritage, a project led by Amèlia Boluda. The show is not a new phenomenon, and was performed previously some 21 years ago at the San José Arts Festival in Costa Rica, yet this contemporary interpretation sees the dancers themselves sharing the stage with the musicians, as they collectively narrate the story of one of the most talked about faces of the art world. But why should we bother celebrating the legacy left behind by the Mexican artist?

It is estimated that Kahlo completed around 140 paintings over the course of her lifetime, and 55 of these were self portraits. A bus accident in 1925 had left Frida with serious injuries, and she was haunted by relapses of intense pain her entire life. The complications associated with these injuries also left Frida unable to conceive, and this substantial physical and mental anguish is not elusive in her art. In Frida’s Self Portrait completed in 1948, Kahlo depicts her features as notably harsher, her expression is stern, and she appears trapped within the confines of the lace ruffle surrounding her face. Three tears rest upon her cheeks, and Kahlo herself described the painting as ‘an exact expression of her emotions’. Similarly frank portrayals of emotion can be found in The Two Fridas (1939) painted shortly after her divorce from husband Diego Rivera, and in The Wounded Deer (1946), in which Kahlo expresses a great sense of disappointment and frustration at her physical injuries. While it is doubtful Frida Kahlo ever set out to be a feminist, and labeling her as such seems to strip her work of its deep personal value, there is no doubting that such a candid representation of female emotion, the female form and condition to some extent gives a voice to specifically female struggles, in particular childbirth or loss, as depicted in Henry Ford Hospital (1932) or My Birth (1932).

Besides deep personal torment, Frida Kahlo also represented her heritage and perceptions of the Universe through her art; ideas which will remain pertinent for centuries to come. Most famously, in The Love Embrace of the Universe (1949) she depicts a complex arrangement of human and mythological beings and in doing so portrays a system of intricate dependencies. Central to the painting, Frida cradles Diego as a mother would cradle a child. The male in the painting, Diego, has the third eye of wisdom on his forehead, and these ideas of nurture and wisdom seem here mutually dependent. The Aztec Earth Mother cradles both Diego and Frida, who in turn is embraced by the Universal Mother. These references to ancient Mexican mythology are relevant on an international artistic landscape, and even within contemporary society, understanding other cultures or ancient traditions through the medium of art is important, and Frida certainly facilitates this.

Frida Kahlo is emblematic of strength and creativity, her expansive imagination evidenced in her array of art; often portraits, and often visual representations of her own internal conflict. It is perhaps this that sets Kahlo apart from other artists, and justifies her continued recognition. Not only is Frida’s legacy valuable for its demonstration of clear artistic talent, but there is an unquestionable rawness and honesty, particularly in her self portraits, which is unrivalled. While many artists, writers and performers use their art in order to transmit ideas and personal emotion, Frida quite literally becomes her art in her portraits, intrinsically connecting the pieces with the person behind them. Indeed, she was often quoted as saying that she did not paint dreams, but rather her ‘own reality’.