Utopía del Lodo, Sashimi de Bruma

“Utopía del Lodo y Sashimi de Bruma” is an immersive installation by Grip Face that reflects on the current global state of war, with a particular focus on the devastating effects of conflict on civilians and children. Without making an explicit statement, the work conveys a clear pacifist and anti-war message through powerful symbolic and visual elements.

The installation consists of twelve suspended sculptures – masks held by thorn ropes – arranged in the shape of the European Union symbol. This configuration is not accidental: it questions Europe’s pacifist identity and its ambiguous role in armed conflicts. The masks, fragmented figures of ambiguous character, evoke silent, spectral presences that can be read as avatars of resistance or as protective amulets.

Grip Face draws inspiration from news reports of bombings in children’s playgrounds in places like Gaza or Ukraine, using the swing as a symbolic element to highlight the fragility of childhood in wartime. These swings, motionless and hung from thorns, transform the space into a haunting scene where theatricality becomes a metaphor for the battlefield, and stillness communicates a latent tension.

With this site-specific proposal, the artist transforms Espai Cúbic into an installation that invites slow and critical reflection on European identity, collective memory, and the fragility of contemporary peace.