From November 9 to December 10, 2017, a series of artistic activities took place in the La Marina neighborhood, all of them free and connected to various local entities. Under the initiative of the Pla de Barris and the organization of the Memorial Democràtic Treballadors SEAT, a cycle of events was created that engaged in dialogue with the historical memory of La Marina, particularly focusing on the industrial past of the neighborhood, and especially the history of SEAT workers and the 600 model (marking its 60th anniversary).
Through activities such as a book presentation, a narrative-auditory walk, an artistic route in a 600, a temporary exhibition, and a participatory theater production, we rediscovered the neighborhood, reflected on its history, and shared culture together for a month.
- Presentation of the Book ‘Hª de la SEAT, Nostalgia de una Época’: by José Sanz Neira: The book presentation marked the beginning of the cycle, offering an excellent starting point to contextualize the era and the central theme of the cycle (life around the former SEAT factory and the recovery of the historical memory of workers and labor struggles). Carles Vallejo (President of the *Memorial Democràtic Treballadors SEAT*) and the book’s author, José Sanz Neira, engaged in a conversation about the documentary material included in the publication and the history of this iconic brand familiar to all local residents: SEAT.
- Temporary Exhibition ‘SEAT 600: Motor de Llibertat’: The Memorial Democràtic Treballadors de SEAT sought to pay tribute with this exhibition to the nearly 50,000 individuals from across Spain who worked at SEAT over the years. This photographic and documentary exhibition highlighted the social and industrial impact of the 600 in the neighborhood. The exhibition accompanied the activities of November 12.
- Narrative Walk: The narrative walk shared its start and end points with the Artistic Route. It began with a dance performance by Javier Guerrero and his team and ended with performances at various neighborhood entrances and streets. Between these two actions, participants engaged in a neighborhood tour with headphones, bringing the historical memory of the area to life and reinterpreting spaces often unfamiliar to participants. The narration was voiced by Marta Vallejo and complemented by written material provided to each participant (a self-published piece by Francesc Prieto and Marta Vallejo).
- Artistic Route: The goal of this route was to highlight the social and political contradiction sparked by the 600. What contradiction? On the one hand, the 600 symbolized the economic recovery of Francoism, a fast-track formula for Spanish families to feel middle class. On the other hand, the large workforce concentration in the Zona Franca factory led to organized efforts defending labor rights, which ultimately spearheaded broader union demands both in Barcelona and across the country. Direction and Choreography: Javier Guerrero / Performers: Elia Genís, Javier Ara, Joel Mesa, Paula Tato, Alma Steiner, and students from the Institut del Teatre / Assistant Director: Igone Lopez / Dramaturgy: Albert Pijuan / Production: Sara Caeiro / Music Editing:Sergi Aroya / Costume Design: Montón de Paja & Trigo / Acknowledgments: Espai Jove La Bàscula, Club 600 Barcelona, Tabalers de Diables.
- Workshop by Teatro de los Sentidos and La Inefable. On the afternoon of November 15, La Inefable and Teatro de los Sentidos conducted a free workshop (with 15 available spots, attended by 7 participants). The workshop focused on the historical memory of the neighborhood and participants’ personal experiences. The material from the workshop, along with the participants’ subsequent involvement, shaped the performance *‘Hilando Barrio,’* which ran for eight performances from December 8–10 at the Sala Pepita Casanellas. The performances were also free and part of the Motor de Llibertat cycle. Participants from La Inefable and Teatro de los Sentidos: Nelson Jara, Patrizia Menichelli, Stéphane Laidet, and Giovanna Pezzullo
- Hilando Barrio: Sharing a Memory is Celebrating a History. A project by Teatro de los Sentidos and La Inefable, performed at the Sala Pepita Casanellas (8 performances). The play Hilando Barrio followed the creative methodology and theatrical expertise unique to Teatro de los Sentidos, offering an experiential theater that engaged the audience through all senses. Both participants (7 individuals as “performers”) and the audience shared stories and experiences from the neighborhood. The starting point was recovering the historical memory of the neighborhood through the voices of its residents and transforming it into a theatrical experience.
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