«Courage» Lost in thought, an animal drinks through a straw out of a cup marked with the word Courage. What can it be thinking of?
Courage, of course, that regenerative force necessary to survive Game over. Play again! Let’s go again! Situated between the video games of the ‘70s and the last Final Fantasy episode, there is something of the role-play story in Ruth Gómez’ mural in which we play the part of warriors. Inspired by the Belleville area in Paris, and its urban frescoes, the Spray animated film is presented as graffiti, painted progressively throughout the simulation of a video game. Designed at first to be projected onto the façade of a building of the Puerta del Sol in Madrid, the film portrays a strong desire to integrate video images into urban life. Ruth Gómez infuses a poetic look at the urban space at a time when advertising boards and commercial screens are multiplying.

© Ruth Gómez

Spray reveals a controlled chaos of the little cares of human life. The animated wall produces a container of images where multiple stories intimate our feelings and moods. The video combines characters and scenes from the artist’s previous animated films with real people, animals and graffiti. Sexy lips bombarded by a hovering Space Invader carry the words: I LOVE YOU.

The famous alien from Space Invaders controls and activates short scenes mixing figures, symbols, quotes, memories and fragments of everyday life. He manipulates his machinery like a puppeteer would make a zebra gallop, a giraffe, a flamingo, a marmoset, pretty ladies, one of whom is doing her nails, a man with traces of lipstick on his neck, a polar bear, a pelican, a marmot, a catfish, a penguin, a frog, a kiss, a biker playing hula hoop while his shadow does as it pleases…

The designs, wall drawings and stickers that were used in the making of this animated film are shown at the Jozsa Gallery. Ruth Gómez’ bestiary, in which human beings are just animals amongst others, pushes the absurd towards an urban poetry. The leading role is given to the marmot holding a cup hypothetically filled with Coca-Cola: Courage. Lively and encouraging, Ruth Gómez still wants to believe, despite the recession, despite consumerism, despite the prevailing materialist society, all of which leave so little space for dreams and poetry. The hardness of her past videos gives way to a positive and enthusiastic statement.
Let’s play!

(Richard Neyroud March 2012)

Site: Jozsa Gallery

Title: Courage
Place: Jozsa Gallery
City: Bruselas
Country: Bélgica
Date: 8-3 to 28-4 2012