Homage to Livia's Duende

To my dear

The dualistic presentation of livia's metaphorical duende coincidentally appearing self consciously within the psyche of Gromyko misinterpreted as a negative force but enlightened to realize its importance as a chaotic positive energy phrenologically imbued with self confidence...

The Duende lives in our dark side of life, were all is obscure and muddy (LIMO, in italian). No light then, nothing. All is opaque.

EL DUENDE


The word DUENDE is specific to the Spanish language. It describes what with extreme intensity and authenticity, wakes up in man/woman at a dance ( flamenco ), a song ( cante jondo) or a game in bullfighting (symbol of sacrifice ) and some great Art creative expressions. The Duende has been translated into "follet", "fairy" and many other words, each culture seeking his own definition, while the Duende is nothing else… than Duende ! It IS. It cannot be translated or qualified.
The Duende, for those who do not know Spain, is difficult to seize, explain and understand.
It’s an abstract feeling, an instant, a magic acting
a sign, a gesture
a breath
an act
it’s courage, energy and also a solid violence
it’s an arc, a wind
a plenitude
It’s what we sometimes think we can read on a black and deep andalusian head expression ( "cabeza"), but Duende only arises when creating the most beautiful Art expressions, beyond any "language". The Duende hides in itself the most deep archaeological sounds and gestures. Never dramatic, never noisy, he happens while already dissolving himself. He is neither pain nor joy, blooming till extreme limit. Only Spain could be open to that. Gold and coal, hoarse voice and sun circles.

The most beautiful pages on the Duende were written by Spanish poet Federico Gracia Lorca in "Teoría y juego del duende" ; he had read himself his essay at a conference in Cuba, in 1930 .

When the murmur of a "cante jondo" goes beyond the person who sings, cancelling all what surrounds him/her, when suddenly this voice breaks, becomes hoarse, full of beautiful anxieties, as deep as earth « entrañas » and as deep as what Lorca called "las ultimas habitaciones de la sangre,(" the last rooms of blood ", beautiful expression to describe the labyrinth that man have inside), that's when Duende has shown ! He arrives proudly in the small dark room where stand songs and music, he advances with his head thrown back, or kept low as a bulls one, to dash in the public. He gets hold of the singers soul, he scratches her voice, wrapping her whole body till dissolution, since reality has no real importance… This is the Duende, unique, blowing as wood, incense and forest, while life all around stops. The song then vibrates in velvet and gold.

Similarly, the Duende, head held high, enters in the intensity of flamenco, dance of beauty in symbolic gestures, harmonious and noble, but still without that "something" that could give this dance an even more grandiose look. This "magic moment" is what, thanks to the Duendes apparition, comes out as a rearing interior scream , cutting the publics breath. Pathos explodes in a wild flamenco, with the most virtuous strocking zapateado, with proud and haughty bailaoras y bailaores, their eyes crossed on an impossible challenge. Flamenco opens love and fury, pride and death.

Same destiny in the Arena, where the Duende manifests itself in the moment of Truth ,in sacrifical rite circles. Death rejoices, windows open ( Spain is the only country where death is greeted with windows wide open ), Duende becomes earth, blood and shadow, everything is triumph, as surging sea

Spain is a land of extremes, land of fire and blood, light and shade, determination and power, and here Duende hides himself. A low murmur and a solitary song are enough to awaken his andalusian sleep…. And he will be there, wrapped in mud and moist, ready to rise up in this new voice, ready to mix his impulses and his demons in a single hoarse and dark cry

- Livia Alessandrini