The Faberllull Olot residency begins the year by hosting ten national and international professionals, who are undertaking various individual residencies until 27 January. Among them is Fien Veldman (Amsterdam, Netherlands), who is working on her second novel; Matthias Friedrich (Germany), translating Prudenci Bertrana's novel into German; Saliha Nilüfer (Istanbul, Turkey), developing her new children's novel; Rhiannon McGlade (Glasgow, United Kingdom), writing a monograph on themes of visual printed media, feminism, and the politics of sexual identity in 20th-century Spain; Zuzanna Gawron (Warsaw, Poland), translating verses by Maria-Mercè Marçal; Anne Zamo (Ceret, Northern Catalonia), illustrating the fauna of the Garrotxa region; Emilio Méndez (Asturias), leading a research project through theatrical documentation on suicidal behaviour in young people; Anna Teixidor (Figueres), writing a book on the influence of organised crime at the Jonquera border; Blanca Valdívia (Barcelona), analysing the impact of urban and architectural features of care homes for the elderly on their daily lives; and Glòria Riubugent (Leeds), completing the critical edition of Llibre de la menescalia (c. 1424–1436) by Manuel Díez.
Activities Open to the Public:
In addition to working on their respective projects and exchanging knowledge with fellow residents, the Faberllull residents take part in various activities open to the public.
Rhiannon McGlade will deliver the talk "Towards Democracy in Ridicule and Mockery: Butifarra!, Cul-de-Sac and Catalan Comics of the Transition" ("Cap a la democràcia a la befa i la mofa: Butifarra!, Cul-de-Sac i el còmic català de la Transició"). The event will take place this Wednesday at 7 pm at Llibreria Isop. McGlade will discuss how authors and illustrators used satire, caricature, and humour to address the political and social transformations of the Spanish Transition.
The following day, Thursday at 7 pm, in the Dinàmig auditorium, Catalan journalist Anna Teixidor will give a talk titled "The Walls of Silence at the Border of Exploitation: Women, Poverty, and Control". ("Els murs de silenci en la frontera de l'explotació: dones, pobresa i control".) Teixidor will present an analysis of sexual exploitation in La Jonquera over the past twenty years, based on real stories. The vulnerability of exploited women – often foreign, living in poverty, and lacking knowledge of the local language – frequently turns them into objects of exploitation.
In addition to these three public activities, the German translator Matthias Friedrich will give a talk to the students of the Claude Language Academy in Olot; the artist and researcher Emilio Méndez will lead a masterclass for students at the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona; and the researcher Glòria Riubugent has conducted a workshop for students at the Institut Bosc de la Coma in Olot.
