Introduction to the presentation of Roberto Mollá  - 5 songs for Quico

My meetings with Quico were always full of musical recommendations. Quico had an insatiable curiosity in this respect, he understood the influence of music in my work and wanted to know the sources. He first centred his interest in the Japanese  

–Cornelius, Pizzicato Five, Fantastic Plastic Machine-, then in music from what ever place in the world –Giant Sand, Sonic Youth, El Niño Gusano, Electrocugat Orchestra, Carlo Coupé, Adam Green, Devendra Banhart, Moloko-. Always I would give him some CDs with music that I think he would like. However he was always up to-date and difficult to surprise.

The 5 drawings that I am preparing for the exhibition have the title of 5 songs that I have recorded:

THE MOLLUSK (Ween), PELIGROSO POP (Plastilina Mosh), LOVE IN A TRASHCAN (The Raveonettes), LADY OLÉ (Chico y Chica) y FOG (Radiohead). To choose them I have created a folder in my mp3 that has the title “Songs for Quico”. In this folder I have stored more than thirty songs and in choosing them it is as if I was creating another CD for Quico.

The character irreverent, ironical, elegant and free of the song The Mollusk reminds me of Quico. If I don’t misunderstand the English  I believe that he perfectly could be which ever of the three personalities that  are protagonists in the song: the Boy who has found the mollusc, the Sir that  interrogates the boy on how he found it, or the Mollusc itself with it wandering look.

 

As Quico said, don’t save on paint

Or as the Mollusc said. let’s be forever let forever be free.

 

Hey little boy, whatcha got there?

kind sir it's a mollusk i've found

did you find it in the sandy ground?

does it emulate the ocean's sound?

yes I found it on the ground

emulating the ocean's sound

bring forth the mollusk cast unto me

let's be forever let forever be free

 

 

Hey little boy come walk with me

and bring your new found mollusk along

does it speaketh of the trinity

can it gaze at the sun with its wandering eye

yes it speaks of the trinity

casting light at the sun with its wandering eye

bring forth the mollusk, cast unto me

let's be forever let forever be free.

 

Valencia. Septiembre 2009.

Roberto Mollá

 

 

Neilson Gallery - C/Dr Mateos Gago 50-54, 11610 Grazalema, Cádiz, España. -   Tlf.: (+34) 956 132 451 /  678 244 077