Valencia, Spain - City of Arts and Science again.

After the Museu Fallero we walked across the road to the City of Arts and Science area. As I had been there a couple of times, I tried to get angles that I didn't take previously.

It had rained on our way in and the sky continued to look ominous but the rain held off.

 

"Points of View" by Tony Cragg is in the middle of a roundabout.

Made of stainless steel I found the reflections

fascinating.

The Umbracle was closed

and we wondered if it was because the parrots were nesting as

we could hear them being very noisy and see them flying in and out with nesting materials.

We realized that we were not going to catch the afternoon bus back to Canet but would be taking the early evening one.

So we walked back beside the Turia gardens

Stopped to try and get pictures of Gullivers park but

it was cordoned off and I couldn't get a good shot of it from the bridge. The only good photos I have seen of it have been drone shots.

We headed back into the maze of the old city

Every time I find different things

We searched, and found a little out of the way place

for lunch, sharing tapas again.

Sign for the bathrooms.

Valencia, Spain- Museu Faller de Valencia

 When Rick left he missed his flight from London to Toronto so had to rebook one a day later. This resulted in a whole day in London that he took full advantage of.

 

He watched the changing of the guard.

Saw the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.

Westminster Abbey and popped his head into a couple of museums.

He said he had walked for 5 and a half hours. Beer, baked potato and barbecued mushrooms.

Fi was still in Valencia and said she would like to see the Fallas Museum with us so we waited for her at the Serrano Gate, at our usual coffee place

While watching one of the Fallas arrive in pieces and be set up ready to be unwrapped and assembled.

Fallas is a popular festivity that has been celebrating the feast of Saint Joseph, in Valencia, since the mid 18th century. Monuments depicting satirical images are erected on the streets of Valencia. These monuments are made of ninots, figures that are set alight to welcome the spring on March 19th, feast of St Joseph. from the Museu Faller brochure.

These began as rough wooden structures created by local carpenters but over the years the  profession of Falles artist has been created with their own techniques and styles. Since 1934 one ninot is saved, voted for by a committee, "pardon from the fire", and these are housed in the museum.  

 

We got off the #95 bus just before the City of Arts and Science and after circling a block

found the museum.

It was arranged chronologically

starting with the 30s and 40s when they we5e made from wax, wood and cloth.

In front of each one was a plaque with pertinent information. I loved the explanation of the meaning/purpose, often satirical and/or critical of the times.

A Fallas statue may include multiple ninots and there were some photos depicting these. I hope to get into Valencia to see at least a couple of them completed. I leave early in the morning, after the night they will be set on fire. I wont be going in to town to watch that.

Some of the older ones had been restored, frequently by a relative of the original artist leading me to think that Fallas artist is a family business, with the skills passed down.

Social commentary was common as well as romanticizing traditional life.

The corridors between the rooms were lined with the official posters. Each year a different poster is chosen from those submitted. 

The first was in 1929.

This was like going to an art gallery

Some had the artists name and the year

But for many it was on the poster itself.

Fir is a major theme,

along with the fallera major (like the festival princess)

also bats, fireworks

and the architecture.

Starting in 1963, children's ninots were saved

these were ninots made specifically to appeal to children

Many of them depicted movie characters which I didn't find particularly interesting so didn't take many photos of those.

But on some the detail was amazing.

There were also paintings of every Fallera Major.

The final room had information regarding the evolution of the materials used

and construction and decoration methods.