Spain's football culture met an artistic statement as a replica of dictator Franco's head was used as the ball in a tournament. The "Ex Abrupto" art festival held an "anti-fascist fixture" near historic civil war trenches. This event coincided with the 50th anniversary of Franco's death. The head, created by Eugenio Merino, continues his exploration of themes related to Franco's regime. Past works like "Always Franco" had already sparked controversy in addressing Franco's legacy, further highlighting Spain's ongoing grappling with its history.
The experimental "Ex Abrupto" art festival pitted two teams against each other for a self-styled "anti-fascist fixture" using a hyper-realistic replica of Franco's head as the ball.
The choice of pitch for the football match was highly symbolic, located near trenches used by the defeated republican side during the 1936-1939 civil war.
The work was crafted by artist Eugenio Merino, known for tackling themes related to Franco and his right-wing dictatorship, previously creating works like "Always Franco" and "Punching Franco".
Merino stated that marking the 50th anniversary of Franco's death was necessary, emphasizing the cultural significance of using his head in this artistic context.
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