Life is a party
Linocut print.
Hahnemühle paper of 300 g.
40 x 40 cm.
Limited edition of 50 prints (available for purchase here).

La vida es una fiesta, in english Life is a party, captures the spirit of the popular festivities that are celebrated in La Alberca, a small village located in the south of the province of Salamanca, Spain, during the summer months. The protagonists are two women dressed in the spectacular Traje de Vistas: a typical costume of La Alberca that attracts attention for the impressive set of jewels with which women cover their entire body.

The Traje de Vistas, in origin, was a means to show the family wealth through the superimposition of jewels and pieces of clothing. The more jewels hung from the neck of the albercanas, the higher the social position of their family. Among these jewels, we can find long necklaces made with coral beads and silver bollagras, religious medals, huge crucifixes and an endless number of amulets to protect against evil and disease, such as the Holy Face, Caravaca crosses or the symbol of the crescent moon.

This costume, which was traditionally a wedding dress, has gradually lost its nuptial character to be used only on feast days such as Corpus Christi or the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on August 15th.

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