Pifostio is a photographic series depicting everyday, visual communication found on the streets of Madrid.

Shop fronts lettered by their owners, thrash bins lettered by janitors, a large part of the street graphics seen in Madrid is made by its people. It happens in working-class areas, but in others as well. Call shops and wholesalers, but jewelers too. Plain brush, but also vinyl flawlessly cut by an expensive device. Particular resources like self adhesive lettering give shape to the visual landscape of Madrid. This is our habitat, our education. Our standard. This is our graphic culture as a society.

So, the streets get full of the work of people that are moved by a genuine need to communicate, and free from any educational conditioning. Only one that's oblivious of the rules can break them in such fruitful ways. Untrained sign makers, improvised tools, but an amount of love and joy that's not easy to find in professional work.

For the appreciators of graphic communication, typography and its limits, Madrid is big fun.

Selections of images from the collection have been exhibited at various venues

Conde Duque, Banquete 05, Madrid
Installation of 700 photographs
Images of the installation | Pifostio at Banquete.org |
ABC review (spanish)

PhotoEspaña 2005, Madrid
Large screen at Plaza de Santa Ana
30' slideshow

II International Typography Congress
Valencia 2006
Installation of 700 photographs

ABOUT the artist

Javier Abarca is an artist and researcher. He teaches visual arts and urban art for the Universidad Complutense at the Facultad de Bellas Artes in Aranjuez, Madrid.

Javier studied fine arts at the Universidad Complutense and typography under David Jury, GB. He was born in Madrid in 1973, currently lives and works there.

Artist's website: javierabarca.es

Texts and images (cc) the artist