Singular Spaces: From the Eccentric to the Extraordinary in Spanish Art Environments by Jo Farb Hernández (review)

I admit to having been slightly terrified by the sheer size and girth of this book upon its arrival at my home. Weighing in at about 8 lb., Jo Farb Hernández’s new tome not only lives up to its heft, but it also leaves the reader waiting for the sequel—and wondering what has become of so many of the sites she discusses that exist in precarious states.

The book chronicles what Hernández calls art environments, most of which are not well known, that are found throughout Spain. These are artistic spaces created by individuals, with occasional help from family members. They are usually built on, outside, inside, or around a home or property. Most are public-facing, although a few are far enough back on a property to be somewhat hidden. Hernández has been documenting art environments since 1974, and she began fieldwork for this book in 2000 when she happened by a startling site filled with towers and labyrinths. She argues that these wonderfully idiosyncratic works are somewhat difficult to define, stating: “A study of these works . . . runs counter to the inclination of most art or architectural historians, who prefer to categorize each manifestation by period and style: art environments, in their exuberant inconsistency, completely fail to cleanly correspond to any such characterization” (p. 18). She also prefers to call them art environments over folk art. Although some of the works may include materials labeled as folk or incorporate techniques learned via group transmission, all are individual and idiosyncratic arts and thus difficult to qualify using an adjective like folk.

Ultimately, this book is not about arguments of definitions or the state of the field. Rather, it is about the artists and their lives and is illustrated with ample color photographs to round out every description and written profile. Hernández knows how to tell a good story. The 45 separate narratives surveying and explaining 45 disparate art environments are a fine demonstration of the incredible amount of in-depth and perceptive fieldwork the author did to put all of this together. These are the tales of the passions, obsessions, and perspectives that cause these men—for they are all men—to create beautiful, engaging, and wonderful art spaces. Hernández takes care to retell the heart-felt tales of some of the makers and what tragedies or events caused them to create, demonstrating the urges that made them place their art in public, allowing others glimpses into their psyches and private worlds.

Hernández notes that certain themes arise in the stories of the artists. Many of them grew up poor and were relatively uneducated. Most had no artistic training, although some occasionally worked at a job that gave them useful skills in building or decorating their environments. Many began creating their art after they retired or on weekends away from their jobs, and rapidly became totally obsessed. Consequently, a good portion of the artists were considered to be crazy by their neighbors, and sometimes by family members as well. Too many of these people are unappreciated and even reviled. When the occasional story came regarding an artist who was admired or applauded by others, I found myself silently rejoicing. There was one story regarding a poor man with a big family who asked his local government for a boulder at the edge of the village. He hollowed it out, built an amazing stone house, and eventually the king of Spain visited him. There is also the man who built his own beautiful shell-covered home. This would not have occurred had a truck...