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Things that happen in the street. An attempt at a dictionary

by Eléctrico 28

25/06/2024

This dictionary attempt captures the spontaneous and never-ending choreography of daily life, radically exposed to open air. And then, organizes all the material in very unique categories, following an alphabetical-rebel instinct and an artistic code rooted in Eléctrico 28’s approach to urban space. We observe through a sharp but non-judgmental eye.


We want to counteract and complement the set of consensual understandings of everyday urban life, the constant interaction between humans, things, animals, and plants.

The ultimate intention is to rediscover ordinary life, give it a kind of recognition and a dash of probably useless wisdom. And hopefully, some unique things that happen in the streets crystallize here, within this attempt.

Someday, sooner than later, this compendium of definitions we are accumulating will end up as a printed version.


SYNOPSIS

1. Portable archive of events of ordinary street life. ││ 2. Accumulation of very obvious human activities, of uncertain usefulness, classified with para-scientific criteria. ││ 3. Accumulation of notes on pigeon movements and their disturbingly hyperactive necks. ││ 4. Families of lists, somewhat unstructured, or maybe overstructured.  ││ 5. Repertoire of samples of human behaviour: rhythms, obsessions, peculiarities, misunderstandings, enjoyments, ways of walking, resting, calling, falling, hesitating, eating. ││ 6. Repertoire of samples of the behaviour of things: degrees of oxidation, supreme decadence, involuntary geometries, humidity that remain, blackened chewing gum, urban animal droppings, objects carried by human hands, abandoned olives. An attempt at a dictionary on the street that has not managed to put anything in order, not even alphabetically.


DEFINITIONS


© clàudia mirambell adroher
1. Rusty thing. Element with a surface that has been seduced by the dark side of oxygen.
2. Hole. Interruption of a flat surface.
© clàudia mirambell adroher


clàudia mirambell adroher
3. Meeting of benches. Group of seats that cannot be taken home.
© clàudia mirambell adroher
4. Piss. Wet spot that was never meant to be left in a toilet.


5. Pile of chairs.Balancing construction which would be much more appreciated in a museum.
© clàudia mirambell adroher
© clàudia mirambell adroher
6. Pathway of cables. A bunch of black lines between sky and earth.


7. Santa Claus. Synthetic foam disguised in a red suit pretending to appear with agility. 
© clàudia mirambell adroher
© clàudia mirambell adroher
8. Matrioshka cars.This happens when someone has the idea of storing a kids' car inside a car for adults. It becomes more visible when they leave it in the front passenger seat. 


9. Grass. Organic blanket that tries to stay green.


© clàudia mirambell adroher
© clàudia mirambell adroher
10. Stone. Piece of the earth’s skeleton that has been detached from the rest of the structure. 


11. Sky. Optical effect that consists in believing that the Earth is stuck on a blue background.
© clàudia mirambell adroher
© clàudia mirambell adroher
12. Do-not-enter traffic sign. Metallic guardian trying to avoid random access.

13. Trash bin. Home to empty bottles, tetrabricks, cans, and other species of vesssels. 


© clàudia mirambell adroher



© clàudia mirambell adroher

14. Flowerpot. Institutional expense to hide cigarette butts and other unappreciated objects. 


15. Star-shaped buns. An organized army of adorable dough planning to sacrifice themselves for the cause of human pleasure.
© clàudia mirambell adroher
© Jonay P Matos

16. Whole dog. Animal that has not been skimmed.