Singular Spaces II: From the Eccentric to the Extraordinary in Spanish Art Environments

When I first read Jo Farb Hernández’ 2013 publication Singular Spaces (now Singular Spaces I, Raw Vision), I thought she had literally and metaphorically written the book on art environments. That initial volume remains a tour de force in studies of material culture and is well worth reading in connection with her new publication. In the 11 years since Singular Spaces I, Hernández continued to complete research and documentation throughout Spain. Singular Spaces II adds, in a two-volume set, to her incredible and extensive documentation, making the three volumes a required trilogy for anyone interested in art environments, vernacular architecture, folk art, and occupational folklife. Her own engagement with her research, fieldwork, and writing resonates with the creative impulse of many of the artists so richly documented. Reading the work may be exhausting, and even the author recommends browsing through both volumes to discover artists and environments of interest. That task is easy. Her writing, photography, and research provide a vibrant tour of landscapes and sympathetic portraits of the artists. Reading the book is a bit like traveling throughout Spain to visit these sites.To better understand art environments, one should follow Hernández’ recommendation and read her introduction in Singular Spaces I, where she notes the tensions between folklorists and art critics in what she characterizes as “term warfare.” In this introduction, she makes a good case for thinking of these works as art environments. Singular Spaces II expands her ideas about art environments with new insightful commentaries on historic preservation, sustainability, intangible cultural heritage, and an ecological ethos. She adds almost 100 more artists to the 45 she had documented earlier. The new publication also provides additional resources, including a map that locates the artists and their sites.The book is well-organized. Each artist's portrait begins with excellent contextual information about related historic and artistic traditions. She then gives biographical information, gleaned from either printed sources or her own fieldwork, skillfully blending her analysis and interpretation into these portraits as she often crafts engaging narratives. Her respect for the artists and the rapport that she often developed are clearly present and are integral to her excellent scholarship. The range of sites documented expanded my ideas of the scope of art environments. Along with recognizing how art environments include houses, homemade parks, and decorations of exterior walls, Hernández demonstrates the value of expanding art environments to include restaurants, house museums, caves, garages, utility buildings, and Indigenous and traditional medicine.Hernández consistently draws from relevant scholarship to add to the history and culture of art environments. The entry on Antón Pérez Sánchez, in particular, provides excellent connections between folk medicine and material culture. The book also expands our understanding of the use of materials and techniques in outsider art. For instance, trencadis is a common construction technique, with links to Antoni Gaudí’s artwork that shows intriguing connections between folk and fine art traditions. Showing the impact of Salvador Dalí, Joan Miró, and other Spanish artists who have had regional influences, the book also explores the boundaries between what is too easily characterized as a division between high culture and low culture, as well as connections between vernacular architecture and high style that show mutual influences. Singular Spaces I and II are excellent resources that allow researchers to further develop interpretations and theories of art. It is the type of folkloristic documentation that is essential for further generalizations on art and tradition.If we think of Hernández’ work as a trilogy, a big question emerges: Where should readers begin when encountering over 1,500 pages of documentation? The introduction in the first book is an obvious starting point. I also recommend two portraits. The first is of Rheá Marmentini's crafting of El Dragón—the well-chosen cover photo of Part A of Singular Spaces II. When I first looked at it, I noticed how the imagery resembled a dragon's head. Vividly presenting the site through photos and a poignant narrative, Hernández writes how Marmentini's art reflects a story of artistic and personal challenges. The narrative that ties the story together is one of inspiration and heartbreak. The connection between life history and artistic expression is gripping, and Hernández offers important perspectives that illustrate connections between art environments and environmentalism. Marmentini gives a creative recasting of the symbolism associated with dragons, making a positive contribution to our constructions of place. It is an excellent resource for further considerations of ecofeminism and its myriad connections to environmental sustainability. Unfortunately, this site is endangered, but there are flickers of optimism about future preservation efforts.The second recommended portrait is that of Antonio Padrón Barrera. The cover photo on Part B is a flowing image of white forms with some stonework evident in the background, taken from Padrón's La Casa de la Ilusión. Hernández notes that she was initially hesitant to bring Padrón's buildings into her own documentation of outsider artists because Padrón had formal training as an architect and had worked with systems of licensing and local authority. I side with including his work, as Hernández shows interrelationships between vernacular architecture and the high style. Padrón's work often violated community aesthetic values, and he faced challenges with local authorities. These tensions are part of the cultural context of art environments, making it worthwhile to bring into the discourse a discussion of issues relevant to the formal training and licensing of architects. More importantly, Padrón's work introduces readers to extraposofía extraposophy, which Padrón coined to emphasize processes of discovery and transformation within architectural theory. The idea is evident within creative visions of other artists and deserves greater consideration.These short discussions of two artists are but glimpses into the incredible value of her many discussions. Hernández’ expansive fieldwork and clear writing are testimonies of her deep knowledge of material culture and folklore. Anyone interested in contextual studies of folk art will find a wealth of content here. Those interested in historic preservation and its connections to sustainability will find intriguing articulations of ideas that are connected to these topics. The book also provides examples of theory placed into practice by the artists. Bricolage, projection, recycling, recursion, synthesis, syndesis, and other constructs are not merely ideas existing in theoretical writing. Rather, they are clearly evident in fascinating permutations within these creative spaces.