Molt Amor Por Fer (Barcelona)

Barcelona, Spain. "Much Love to Make" is a temporary installation in Placa Reial, put on by the city to coincide with the Gay Pride Festival. It commemorates a protest held here in 1977 as a milestone in the struggle for sexual freedom. The fountain in Placa Reial is the central hub for tourist crowds in Bari Gotic. 4 free-standing panels surround it, in Catalan and English. 

"Your face here" openings are an invitation to sympathetic experience and solidarity, as well as a photo op.

When I first arrived, the graffiti vandalism was relatively minor. It seemed to be aimed at the exhibition itself, but whether the intention was hateful or just opportunistic was unclear. In any case, an altered outdoor exhibition is more disturbing than the usual altered advertising or other street signage.

Over the course of 3 weeks I watched the graffiti vandalism increase, now more clearly unrelated to the content of the exhibition.

Grafitti vandalism adds a disturbing random layer to the narrative. Street exhibitions are unprotected, vulnerable stories thrown out into the cruel world. The effect is sometimes surreal, raising side questions and suggesting unintended layers of meaning. Looks like more love is needed.