How to make friends

Square

33 ceramic tiles. UV digital print. 310cm x 60cm

How to make friends collides the drawings of the first part of Los Caprichos and the rules of the book “How to make friends and influence people” by D.Carnegie.

On one hand, the first part of Los Caprichos depicts satirical scenes of society. This society has left enlightenment and reason, and is left to vices and superstition. The etchings show scenes of harlotry, of trade between people. Parties, women offering their services and men buying them, playing.

On the other hand, Carnegie’s book is considered the first self-help publication. In the text, he lists a number of rules on how to establish relationships and how to deal with people to achieve a personal goal. It is a guide on how to relate to people for your own interest.

As a junction between these two elements, there are some sneaky intruders. They make the characters of Los Caprichos obey the rules, but politely. The results, however, are more awkward than they expected.

This artwork is presented in the shape of an “Auca”. An Auca is a genre of a story in pictures, mainly made in Catalonia. An Auca has a structure very similar to a comic and it can be printed or made in ceramics. The themes of Auca stories became included history, biography, traditional moral stories and fables.