Spain | The Daily Norm

May 9

Countdown to my new Solo Exhibition | 4 days – ¡Guerra!

With 4 days left to go until my exhibition, I wanted to take you to sunnier climes in exploring some of the collection which will be on display as my work goes on show at The Strand Gallery, albeit not necessarily calmer times. For in painting the first of what was to become a comprehensive series of works based on my most beloved of countries, Spain, I reached back into history for inspiration, and more particularly to one of the most turbulent periods of Spanish history – the Spanish Civil War of 1936-9.

The Spanish Civil War has been somewhat overlooked in the typical school’s history curriculum in favour of the more wide reaching first and second world wars. It was perhaps for this reason that I became so engrossed in the story of the war when I first started reading about it during my post-accident convalescence in 2009. Of course I was well aware that the war had happened, but knew nothing of the shocking details which meant that only a little over 70 years before, the country which today seems such a calm sanctuary of beach tourism and a hotbed of cultural highlights, was ravaged by one of the most severe wars in history. And what made the war even more shocking to my mind was the fact that it had seen one Spaniard turn against another, families literally split in two and generations of friends turn in on one another. Here there was not the kind of national solidarity which comes of an entire nation being invaded by an external aggressor, but a country made cannibal, turning in on itself.

¡Guerra!: The Spanish Civil War (Oil on canvas, 2009 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown)

The more I read about the war, the more engrossed I became, and it was only a matter of time before an image started to emerge in my head for a painting depicting the conflict. So taking a 90cm x 90cm canvas, I set about painting what was to initiate an entire series of Spanish paintings, this one showing the country at its lowest ebb. From the Spanish guitar shown split at the painting’s centre as a symbol of Franco’s attack on the Andaluz gypsy culture, and the bombings of the innocent down of Guernica, to the imprint of a soldier’s show trod across an abandoned doll, symbol of the total disregard for innocent lives, even children’s – this painting contains all of the ingredients which made the Spanish Civil War so shocking to me.

And yet despite the somewhat grim tale it portrays, the work remains one of my favourite paintings, and hangs in prime position above my bed, where it has remained since it was first created. Should I sell the work at my forthcoming Strand Gallery show, it will be a hard one to part from.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Nicholas de Lacy-Brown’s new solo exhibition, When (S)pain became the Norm, will be at London’s Strand Gallery from 13 – 18 May 2014. For more details, click here.

May 8

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Countdown to my new Solo Exhibition | 5 days – Semana Santa Code

This is the third post of artwork shares as The Daily Norm warms up for my first solo art exhibition in 6 years. Moving on from the more emotionally raw works of my accident collection which will take centre stage at the exhibition, I move on, albeit gradually, to my works inspired by the culturally abundant, vividly colourful country of Spain.

For in the third work I am featuring by way of preview of next week’s exhibition, Road Traffic Control (The Semana Santa Code) I may be representing the Spanish Semana Santa parades which are characteristic of Spanish cities up and down the length and breadth of the country during Easter Week, but I also continue to reference the road traffic symbolism which dominated my work from the time of my 2008 accident onwards.

Whether or not the influence of the accident was still dominant in my mind when I painted this work I am not sure. To some extents I will never truly escaped the effects of my accident in my art, just as I will never totally escape them in life. However, the road traffic imagery in this painting was used, not so much as a reference back to my own accident, but as a way of portraying the traditional parades of the Spanish Easter celebrations through a less traditional mode of illustration.

The Semana Santa Code (Oil on canvas, 2011 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown)

The idea came to me when I noticed that the Spanish Nazareños, marching along the roads of Spanish cities with their pointed conical caps, looked much like walking traffic cones. And so the idea was born. From the use of traffic cones, I moved on to utilise familiar traffic signs and symbols by way of “codyfying” (in the same way as The Highway Code does for traffic) some of the religious meanings and motivations underlying the Easter parades. For example I converted the typical motorway sign into a symbol of Mary, Mother of Christ, while the crucifixion was replaced with the sign for a crossroads.

For its scale (the painting measures almost 2 metres across) and the relative simplicity of the image, I really do love this painting, a fact which will be reflected as I plan to hang this work at the very opening of my show next week; for as a painting reflecting both the Spanish culture which has so entranced me, and the road traffic imagery which was the cause of so much personal all-encompassing pain, this painting really is apt illustration of the time when (s)pain became the Norm.

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Nicholas de Lacy-Brown’s new solo exhibition, When (S)pain became the Norm, will be at London’s Strand Gallery from 13 – 18 May 2014. For more details, click here.

May 5

Marbella Medley | Folio 3 – Seaside Jungle

My final folio of Marbella photos is entitled “seaside jungle” because this, for me, is what Marbella – a city abundant in plant life, people, exuberance and beauty – represents. The city, like much of the Costa del Sol, jostles upon the seaside, making the most of the beautiful sea views after which it was named – there, charismatic blocks of flats and beautiful white-washed villas overlook a seaside packed with loungers and sardine-filled barbecues, yachts and cafes. However the thing I love the most about Marbella is its equal abundance of greenery. For walk a few hundred metres out of the city and you discover a seaside walk full of every variety of succulent plant, of cacti galore, of secluded piers reaching out to see, of sun-dappled pine forests and of uninterrupted views out onto the coast of Africa.

This set of photos therefore gives an overview of the many facets of this seaside-facing city, from its old town bustling with colourful little houses and full of plant pots and restaurants, to its coastal pathways, its marinas and the joys of a lifestyle which allows engagement with the sea. I yearn to be back there, smelling the salt water wafting over the wind, hearing the trickle of the fountains echoing against the marble of old town pavements, and watching the sun setting over a shiny dark sea. But now back in London we are only one week away from my new solo art exhibition. So Marbella must wait, as the art is rolled out into London – come back for more on that, tomorrow.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2014 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

May 1

Perfect in every way: Caperuza Bistro, Marbella

It’s very rare that you will ever get to enjoy a restaurant meal when every single dish is completely perfect. Even when I’ve had the most delicious high end tasting menus, there’s always been at least one dish which hasn’t quite hit the mark. But in the completely unassuming new little restaurant, Caperuza Bistro, which by complete coincidence is located a mere 100 metres from my home in Marbella, I recently had a dinner which was just that: perfect in every way.

The restaurant is small (just one small room with an open plan kitchen facing onto the narrow old town Calle Aduar) and perfectly formed. With a small team of staff, you get a friendly smile and attentive home-spun service right from the first moment of entering, while cosy candlelight makes the otherwise contemporary interior feel authentic and comfortable. The menu is said to work like tapas, although in reality, it’s more like a tasting menu than tapas, because the restaurant, considerate of the need to savour the complex flavours and stunning presentation of each dish, serve dishes one by one, so that every element can be enjoyed and you never feel overwhelmed (as is so often the problem with the traditional tapas format).

On the recommendation of the amiable waitress, we went for 6 dishes each shared between the three of us. The dishes were served consecutively, with perfect timing and small but adequate pauses between each. We started with a salad of super fresh raw prawns in a smokey foam with sensationally seasoned leaves dressed in orange and what I think was soy. The balance was so delicately and expertly executed that every taste bud in my mouth was tantilised. I can still remember every satisfying flavour now. It was a sensation that was to continue.

Our second dish was a chicken liver pate, beautifully presented in little glass jars with wafer thin bread. While the pate was rich and creamy, it was not overdone. The portion was a perfect size and the elegant crunch of the bread a perfect accompaniment.

Onto a dish of salmon tartar, spilling out of little crunchy cornets draped over an unforgettable ginger and carrot purée. Balance, balance, balance – this place had it all, with this dish another prime example which lasted but seconds before we finished it up – all washed down with the delicious bottle of Rueda chosen for us by the dedicated staff.

Could it get any better? Why yes, for up next was a dish of scallops hiding within another ample helping of seductively seasoned rocket salad whose peppery bitterness contrasted perfectly with an exquisite lemon and potato puree which brought the lemon groves of Sorrento alive in my mouth. Such freshness of flavour was countered only by the sweet and delicious caramelisation of the scallops. My only complaint – that this dish did not go on forever.

Thankfully, what I now consider to be the best dish of all was still to come. A dish of sweet sticky vermicelli noodles, with juicy big prawns, toasted almonds and garlic. I can’t tell you how delicious this dish was, nor properly communicate just how well the crunch of the almonds contrasted with the silky noodles, and how the delicate shellfish stock had caramelised into a golden sweet pasta sauce. Oh sensational.

Finally we dug into an equally successful dish of asian inspired duck served with a little creamy peanut puree. Need I say more about the excellence of this cuisine? (I forgot to take a photo of that one!)

Well yes actually, because dessert was to follow. And just when we thought the mains could never be beaten, along came a cheesecake mousse – I mean for god’s sake, can life get any better than this? Puffy little clouds of the most satisfyingly delicious mousse served with a little buttery biscuit on the side. And then there was the super fresh pineapple sorbet with a creamy smooth mango soup. I was in heaven.

My only hope now is that this little restaurant, which is relatively understated and slightly off the tourist track, remains open to serve this sensational cuisine for a long time to come. The quality of the food was out of this world, and simply could not have been anticipated from the outside of the restaurant, nor from the menu whose prices were so reasonable that one wonders how the restaurant can make any profit at all. But take advantage of those while you can, because if the chef continues cooking this well, they’re bound to rise fairly swiftly in turn.

Caperuza Bistro is at 22 Calle Aduar in the Old Town (Casco Antiguo) of Marbella, Spain. Tel: (+34 951 395 593)

Apr 29

Marbella Medley | Folio 2 – Semana Santa

Heading to Spain for Easter is often a risky business. Far from providing the wall-to-wall sunshine much promised of the tourism posters, my experience of the country at this time of the year has been that rain falls more widely than just the plain, and for more days than the tourist board would care to admit. And this Easter was no exception, with the Spanish skies tipping it down for 3 out of the 6 days I was on holiday there. Unfortunately, what this seasonal capriciousness also means in that the Semana Santa (Holy Week) parades, which are otherwise the other big certainty of a trip to Spain at Easter, will likewise be cancelled. After all, local churches cannot risk the damage which might otherwise be done to their priceless statues, many of which are centuries old, whose procession in the open air is central to the Semana Santa parades.

Happily, this year, save for the unfortunate cancellation of the big climax to Marbella’s Semana Santa festivities – the Easter Day parade – I was able to see a full set of stunning processions on each of the evenings when I was in town. With their military bands and mighty golden tronos, their multiple rows of candle-bearing conical-hooded nazareños, and collective of local dignitaries, these parades are full of all the pomp and traditional ceremony that a Spanish town or city can muster, and represent the centrepiece of a year’s religious celebrations.

As I have said on this blog many a time before, these parades are totally inspirational to me, and cannot help but move me, even though I do not share in the religious sentiment behind them. So even though this year must have been the 10^th or 11^th time I have seen the parades, I could not help but chase them all around town, taking photographs of each detail as I went. The parades, which largely run at night, are nevertheless notoriously difficult to photograph, and the set I am sharing today have their fair share of blurring issues. But I kind of like this, because in the blur you get a sense of the mysterious and solemn atmosphere which is created when you see the flickering candlelit tronos emerge from around a street corner, seen through the puffs of incense and candle smoke which are so characteristic of these parades.

Special mention also has to go to the military sheep who was perhaps one of the more unique aspects of one parade. Appearing to be some kind of military mascot, the sheep did a sterling job, joining in the parade for the full 4+ hours of its duration. With its tilted hat and little Spanish flag ankle cuffs, this sheep was fully dressed for the occasion and is so endearing that I have given him two photos in this collection – it’s only what he deserves.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2014 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Apr 25

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Marbella Medley | Folio 1 – Ripples and Raindrops

Regular readers of The Daily Norm will know that in December in Venice (rather appropriately) I became quite obsessed with ripples. Not so much the kind that occur in the round when you drop a pebble into the water, but the transient unpredictable kind of ripple that forms in a reflection on water, and distorts that reflection into the realms of pure abstract. What followed were various photos in both Venice and Naples, some gouache paintings, and even a woodcut.

So it can be of little surprise to you that when in Marbella last weekend, I hunted around the harbour edge like a magpie to gold in search of those same watery miracles. And I certainly found some. On a day so stunningly sunny it felt like the summer, we took the little tourist boat from Marbella along to Puerto Banus, and in the marinas of Marbella centre and the more famous dazzling port of Banus, I found sufficient ripples to keep me satisfied until my next encounter with the watery wonders of rippledom.

But even as the weather turned from glorious sunshine to rather depressing rain, the wonders that nature creates with water were still plentiful, and out with my camera I returned, to capture the beauty that can be seen in raindrops on flowers, and the dazzlingly abstract stripes created by raindrops running down a window.

The photographic results of all these quests can be seen in the pictures shared on this post. And just in case you wanted further confirmation of what magic can be created when a little water is involved, there’s also a shot of a fountain drop, and a magnificent mammoth bubble just to wet your fancy – ooh, see what I did there?

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2014 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Apr 23

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Musing on the Magic of a Marbella Morning

I’ve often thought that the true magic of a town happens not in the bustling middle of a day, but first thing in the morning, when the first rays of sunshine hit deserted squares, when workmen and women head quietly into the streets to prepare for the visiting masses, when cafes start to open up for business, and when the squares and fountains and pavements are scrubbed clean in readiness for another day. In Rome I remember savouring the view from my hotel window in the Piazza Della Rotunda at 6am, watching the elegant fountain being scrubbed clean in front of the Pantheon before the tourist masses descended. In Krakow likewise I would be mesmerised watching the cleaners out on the streets first thing in the morning, while from the Mariacki Basilica the Hejnalista trumpeter would play his mournful tune.

Marbella, one of the gems of Andalucia, is no exception when it comes to the tourist crowds. And while I often find myself becoming vexed at the sheer number of visitors who clutter up the streets of the city’s old town, which I am lucky enough to call my second home, I cannot blame them for wanting to visit. For Marbella’s old white washed streets and cobbled squares are amongst the most beautiful on Spain’s Costa del Sol. But for me, they never look better than first thing in the morning, empty and in the first sun rays of the day.

So when I headed out to Marbella this Easter, the first thing I did on my first morning when, accustomed to rising early in London, my body clock got me up early, was to stroll out into the deserted streets of the old town to enjoy these rare quiet moments of having the town almost to myself. The shop shutters were still closed, and the postcard stands hadn’t yet made it out onto the streets; the rising sun was casting long shadows over the cobbled squares; and the only people around were those few taking equal advantage of these quiet moments: to head up a ladder to change a light bulb in a street lamp, to mop the patio in front of a cafe, to quickly walk the dog before work.

So as Marbella gradually opened up for the day, I took a seat in the Plaza de Naranjos at the heart of the old town, sitting in one of the only spots being hit by the slowly rising sun. And with the square’s cafes only just beginning to open up, with chairs being unstacked and umbrellas gradually opening up around me, I gave the first order of the day to an open cafe’s lone waiter: churros and coffee, to be sampled slowly while watching the world around me awaken.

Now that is the magic of a Marbella morning.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2014 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Apr 13

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Domingo de Ramos

It’s Palm Sunday and all over the world, people will be marking the start of Easter Week. I’m not that religious myself (I went to Catholic school and sung in a church choir throughout my childhood, but that’s probably the extent of it), but there is something undeniably enchanting about the celebrations which are afoot in the Christian church at this time of year, especially in Southern Spain.

In celebrating Semana Santa, the Spanish go all out in a devotional show which makes the spine tingle with its emotional impact. Every evening in Spanish towns and cities throughout the country, but particularly in the South, brotherhoods (hermanidades) of various churches dust off the various statues of Jesus and Mary which usually sit in the enclaves and side chapels of their churches, dress them up in flowers and candles, and with great fanfare parade these statues upon gilded tronos around the streets of their respective cities. The hermanidades themselves are likely to parade as nazareños, the slightly sinister masked figures who accompany the floats, with their pointed conical hats carrying candles which sway to the rhythm of the parade. Seeing row upon row of these figures lined up in the street is a moving and dramatic sight.

Grupo de Nazareños (2009 © Nicholas de Lacy-Brown) Oil on canvas

My first ever experience of one of the Semana Santa parades was in my (sometimes) hometown of Marbella on palm sunday. Decked in rich velvet costumes of red, green and white, the nazareños carrying their heavily decorated silver and gold crosses and candlesticks completely inspired me, and I painted this quick oil painting named after the day of the parade which inspired it – Domingo de Ramos.

Of course those who know my art will know that this is but one artwork which has been inspired by the moving spectacle of Spanish Semana Santa, but as it depicts Palm Sunday, it seemed only appropriate to share it with you today.

And if you like my artwork, don’t forget that all of my Spain-inspired paintings will be on display at my forthcoming exhibition, When (S)pain became the Norm, starting one month today!

© Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm, 2001-2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nicholas de Lacy-Brown and The Daily Norm with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. For more information on the work of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown, head to his art website at www.delacy-brown.com

Nicholas de Lacy-Brown’s new solo exhibition, When (S)pain became the Norm, will be at London’s Strand Gallery from 13 – 18 May 2014. For more details, click here.

Apr 8

The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week: Catalan Lizard

When I was recently in the process of choosing some miscellaneous shots of Barcelona to tantalise you all with, I came across this photo, recently taken on my weekend away to Barcelona. So beautiful is the shot (not by virtue of my skill, but rather because of the wonder Mother Nature again) that I felt it had to be featured all on its own – this beauty can’t be allowed to get lost in the pack. With its stunningly patterned scales looking like delicately applied beads, and its characterful piercing gaze looking straight at the camera, this little lizard (and it really was little) is a true beaut.

I’m still surprised that I managed to capture the shot. Using the close focus application on my Sony Cybershot, I had to hold the camera pretty close to this mischievous little lizard in order to take the shot. It was a delicately balanced game of stare-out for us both. The lizard didn’t dare to move because he didn’t know what would happen if he did. I didn’t dare to move in case he scuttled away (and these guys move fast). Slowly I took the camera nearer, closer and closer, holding his gaze until “click!”, I managed to take the photo before he shot away at lightening speed.

I love the defocus on his long curling tale, which contrasts wonderfully against the hard focus on his head and frontal body. Then in the middle, the focus ebbs away, in a kind of haze, such that you can almost feel the heat exuded by the sunshine on that wonderful Barcelonian day up on the Montjuic hill.

That is why my lizard is The Daily Norm’s Photo of the Week.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2014 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Apr 4

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Barcelona | A photographic miscellany

Now I must admit, I did get waylaid ever so slightly. Having begun my account of my recent weekend trip to Barcelona at the beginning of last month, I neglected to post what must be the most important post of them all – my good old miscellaneous photograph collection. Such is the drawback of organising a solo art exhibition, the likes of which will be alive and kicking some 6 weeks from now, and the preparation for which is taking up almost every minute of my spare time. So in amongst all of this stress, being able to sit back to write this blog and reflect upon the good times, like Barcelona, provides the perfect antidote, and the process of choosing a selection of photos to show Barcelona at its best has been almost as enjoyable as taking them in the first place.

So why not come on a little journey with me, through the cobbled dark streets of the atmospheric Gothic Quarter to meet the Cathedral geese and sun streaked palaces, or through the old squares whose houses covered with elegant stucco and adorned with ornate ironwork street lamps. Let’s take a small trip to the soft sandy shores of the Costa Brava, or to see the lush slope-hugging gardens of the Montjuic. Then there’s the modern buildings with their abstract reflections, and the paseo by the sea where birds stretch their wings magnificently. It will only be a short stroll – as long as it takes you to flick through the photos below. But in that moment, let these photographs transform you, to the beating bustling heart of Spain’s most vibrant city.

All photos and written content are strictly the copyright of Nicholas de Lacy-Brown © 2014 and The Daily Norm. All rights are reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the material, whether written work, photography or artwork, included within The Daily Norm without express and written permission from The Daily Norm’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.