Maria Rosa: quarantine diary
Maria Rosa: quarantine diary is a contemplation on the imposed isolation and forbidden movement that has befallen us. The project is a proposal to defer grand theoretical and purportedly prophetic thought on the future and take a closer, though by no means nostalgic, look at what there is and at our relation to what there was: presence and absence are at its core. The past is abysmal and infinitely mysterious and holds many of the keys to our present. The project is initially based, on the one hand, on recordings of everyday sounds that acquire a new life under conditions of increased silence, and on the other hand, on a stack of old post-cards that I found in the house where I live, and which were addressed to a certain Maria Rosa. In a second phase that in the end extends after Easter, it includes sounds and writings of the present sent by friends to Maria Rosa. A third phase recounts Maria Rosa’s dreams on a separate page.
May
May breathes into one’s mouth; invisible water
V.
∗ so many birds/time of birds. Berthie, Vosges mountains, 17.05.2020
IV.
∗Dear Maria Risa, please receive all my love these impossible days. Hugs, Laura G., 13.06.2020
III.
Will & family, Barcelona, 11.06.2020
ΙΙ.
Jannis, Βerlin, 5.05.2020
∗ Athens, 7.5. 1996 Maria Rosa, do you remember our visit to Lazaro Galdiano? Referring to our conversation back then, I would like to add the following: whether these are Grecos or not, I believe the issue to be what kind of knowledge these works produce or what they move in us (as Pathosformel). Many kisses, Juan.
in the courtyard, wind, 1.05.2020
I.
Maxim and Yelena, St. Petersbourg, 3.05.2020
April
Home is what doesn’t have feet
XX.
The gas man always passes too briefly, 28.04.2020
∗ Everything goes on well, no comment. Russia good. Greetings (illegible signature, Leningrad, 1971), found object, 2020.
XΙΧ.
Just, Les Roquetes del Garraf, 27.04.2020
Dear Maria Rosa,
sparrows, in their particular combination with the song of other birds that I cannot identify, a man who whistles (badly) the Four Seasons, a wash clip falling and hitting the cords of the wash-trays on three floors, a child that protests ‘oh maaaaaan….’. Far away, an electronic version of Camela, another child, smaller, that whines, a cuckoo, or whatever the bird that does ‘cuckoo cuckoo’ is called, a washing machine, a radio, a tool. A shutter that goes down and another one that goes up, a door that suddenly shuts because of a draft, and the windows, which are not well fitted in the frame, trembling when the door shuts, somebody coughs. A vacuum cleaner, more wash clips, those of the neigbour who puts her clothes to dry, the somewhat forced laughter of a man, the crac crac of dishes in a kitchen (all this is what I hear from the courtyard of my childhood, where I have returned because of this crazy lockdown). We miss you, Just
XVIII.
22.04.2020
Mis/Ael, Mallorca, (22.04.2020), 24.04.2020
∗ We continue waiting, Maria Rosa. We are well. Hugs.
XVII.
Berthie, Strasbourg, 22.04.2020 (6.04.2020)
∗ Dear Maria Rosa, a short while ago, I met your cousins (or your Mama’s?) in a nice house with a nice garden! Look how happy they were to be together! Kisses, Berthie! PS. Happy Easter!
in the courtyard, bird, 19.04.2020
XVΙ.
Xanthi, Barcelona, 20.04.2020
∗ Dear Maria Rosa, I make use of the lockdown to put some order in old, forgotten paintings. I send you one that I painted a long time ago. As soon as they let me, I will return to Spain. I hope soon to be able to visit you in Barcelona. A hug, Sofonisba, Roma, 20.04.1560
in the courtyard, bird, noon, 19.04.2020
XIV.
Lola, Sabadell, 20.04.2020
∗ Address in Argentina. I send you earth from a nearby park and some seeds that you can plant in your garden. They are part of my gift of your birthday. ….I hope you have….it has started bein colder. Kisses, Lola.
newspaper, 19.04.2020
XIII.
Maria Rosa comes back
∗ I’m coming with the 8:45 JUMBO on the 30th. Till soon. Hugs. Maria Rosa
XII.
Dimitra, Thessaloniki
∗ to, in order, many, nothing, anything, Happy Easter (Resurrection), small, do, want
in the courtyard, birds, very faint plane, 7:45, orth. Easter Saturday, 18.04.2020
XI.
ambulance coming closer, Xanthi’s dog howling, Xanthi, 14.04.2020
Lola, Sabadell
∗ We were together in my dream…You were telling me that this summer you will take a trip on a rowing boat, you had reserved it the day before, rather expensively. Kisses, Lola
X.
dedicated to Mimi and Brisa
Sam, Grahamstown, 14.04.2020
isolation song (on cats and revolution) by neigbour Miquel and his pals before he fell sick with covid
IX.
rooster, Ulysse, Le Moulin 11.04.2020
birds, sheep, Ulysse, Le Moulin, 11.04.2020
dogs at the river, Ulysse, Le Moulin, 11.04.2020
Buona Pasqua e arrivederci, Mademoiselle (mix of two cards, 1972 and undated)
VIII.
Elena, Bonn
∗ Rosy, I send you a card from East Berlin. I saw the Wall, I saw tombs of young people, I was constantly crying. A world has collapsed…When are you coming to Greece? Muchos saludos, Elena, 19.07.1984
birds, gas, opening of a shutter opposite, Good Friday cath. Easter 9:00, 10.04.2020
VII.
Yannis, Elia, Manuel, Elena gym on skype, Sant Cugat, 13:00, 8.04.2020
Sant Cugat del Vallés (undated), found object 2020
in the courtyard, bird, 8:00, 9.04.2020
VI.
rain, birds, distant cows, Sam, Grahamstown, 6.04.2020
birds, 6:30, 4.04.2020
Montserrat (Barcelona, undated) found object, 2020
Pay attention to dreams these days
they’re covered in dust
that sneaks everywhere, ears nostrils
they set up parties in the streets
in the night they present mouths full
of timely and eternal verses
in the morning fingers wither
you wake up in darkness but later than the birds
that sing already
V.
Águeda, José, Ana, Luisa, afternoon in Luanda, 3.04.2020
Isaac, Carlos and Leo, Barcelona, 4.04.2020
∗ Benefitting from the days of isolation in order to clean, we have found this photo coming from an unknown or forgotten place. The image according to the text accompanying it is of a very adequate Christ of Patience. A hug to all, Carlos.
IV.
Koroni, Peloponnese, morning, birds, 03.04.2020
Yiota, Koroni
* Dear Maria Rosa, everything is so quiet these days… kisses from Bahoumi
III.
Martine, Barcelona
∗ My dear, exploit the situation in order to quit too. Your cousin, who loves you. Martine
washing machine, 02.04.2020
dishwasher, 01.04.2020
II.
Peter, Barcelona
typing, end of March 2020
Ι.
A’s room, rain, opening window, rain, 19:00, 01.04.2020
Montserrat (Barcelona, without date), found object, 2020
March
The present is a foreign land made of silence
IX.
Walking around Lycabettus hill, Athens, Irini and Christina, 22hs, 30.03.2020
No entiendo nada (Hamburg, 1969), found object, 2020
∗ Greetings from this country where I don’t understand anything
VIII.
child drawing and whistling, 29.03.2020
from the terrace, rain, 16hs, 25. 03.2020
in the courtyard, rain, 17hs, 25.03.2020
tenim molt bon temps (Stockholm, 1976), found object, 2020
∗ Many greetings from these lands well known by you. We have very good weather for now and hope that it will stay so. Greetings to the parents.
VII.
I am tired
from the so long
voyage
so
aurevoir (sic)
Estoy cansado, (Mallorca, 1956), found object, 2020
applause for the medics, bells of the Mercè church, Stassa, Will and U.B., 28.03.2020
VI.
Asteris whistling, bird, 25.03.2020
Ya estamos aqui, (Tenerife, undated), found object, 2020
∗We are here. It´s not as beautiful as I imagined, but it´s not bad. Of course, coming from Galicia everything seems ugly. As for entertainment…it´s not Alicante, but things are going better. We had a barbecue and ¡brace yourself! there was a beauty contest and I was one of the 10 selected. Don´t laugh, I can see you. I didn´t win but I stuck with it. I´ll tell you about it. Till soon, Maribel
Ariadne skype theatre class, 25.03.2020
Imagine if we had to leave home
V.
Todo a las mil maravillas, (Istambul, 1974), found object, 2020
∗ Everything is wonderful
in the courtyard, steps and seagull, morning, 24.03.2020
in the courtyard, bird, 05:45, 24.03.2020
IV.
Miquel on neigbouring terrace, madman in empty street, baby, birds, afternoon 24.03.2020
Muchos saludos desde Venecia (Venezia, 1970), found object, 2020
ΙΙΙ.
We arrived well
Mum says
to forgive her
as we could not
call you to
say goodbye
(text Llegamos bien, found object, 2020)
washing windows, 24.03.2020
Llegamos bien, found object, 2020
II.
Me parece que en este parque ya hemos estado, (Schaerbeek, Belgium, unknown date), found object, 2020, a
applause for the medics, 20:00, 23.03.2020
Me parece que en este parque ya hemos estado, (Schaerbeek, Belgium, unknown date), found object, 2020, b
∗ It seems to me we have been to this park but as all seem the same to me and I don´t remember their names Anyway (sic) I send you a hug from Belgium. I like it. It´s sunny. Greetings Carmen
I.
in the courtyard, Sunday afternoon, 22.03.2020
in the courtyard, rain at 06:30, 23.03.2020
after the rain, 07:00, 23.03.2020
Ti ricordo tanto (Ciudad de Mexico, 1974), found object, 2020, b