La Macolla. A Creative Spur

The humble and traditional parish La Pastora located in Caracas, Venezuela, contains the house that shelters and nourishes one of the most compelling and innovative creative projects being developed in the Venezuelan capital: La Macolla. Its name was inspired by the several meanings of that word in the creole argot—on one hand, it means a bunch of vegetable shoots and, on the other, a group of persons united through complicity, in the manner of a small mafia. Created in 2014 by visual artists Desireé Chique and Julio Loaiza, with the eventual help of painter Rafael Arteaga in an organizational role, the project began with the production of audiovisual documentaries that showcased the work of Venezuelan creators. The process of making the documentaries generated an interest in stablishing a place that would allow for the convergence of creation, a shared residence, exhibitions, social gatherings, and aesthetic conversations. Currently, La Macolla offers artistic residencies in which guest creators develop projects during a one week period which are eventually exhibited in a small, but adequately equipped, exhibition room located on the second floor of the house, or through interventions in the city or community. The process involves not only creation, but also the shared experiences that results from sharing quarters and food, and collaborating in the securing of materials, the conditioning of spaces and the incorporation of volunteers to collaborate in the mounting of the exhibitions, the preparation of foods and cleaning, among other activities. In the context of the artistic residence, the active participation of guests and hosts is essential to generate the reflections that emerge during the creative process and the development of relationships. Up to now, this project has welcomed artists Daniel Guerra, Leonardo Nieves, Rafael Arteaga, Isabel Herrera, Renzo Rivera, Jennina Guzmán, and Prada Colón. Pleasure and relaxation as means for encouraging creativity and introspection are consciously cultivated at La Macolla. In this sense, the kitchen and living room—located on the house's terrace—are perhaps the heart of the place. Preparing and sharing meals, rescuing the often neglected art of conversation, and the simple, but nourishing, act of contemplation (located at the foot of the Ávila mountain, the place offers magnificent views of the hill and of the aged houses of the area), fill the space with the energy, ideas, experiences, sensations and tastes that become the breeding ground for artists, visitors, the public and people from the community to build experiences that bring art and life together. As compellingly described by the organizers in the publication prepared as record of their interesting and loving work, La Macolla is an "artistic nursery for growing and creating. A point of encounter where workshops are offered to project ideas and reflect on the inhabited space, it is a collective experience, a laboratory in which to meet others and produce while summoning the pleasures".