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I have known La Cuadra since I was a child as a place for play and family gatherings. Dreaming of it today as a space for arts and culture is a consequence of two vital factors: having dedicated myself to the performing arts for the last 20 years, on the one hand; and my emotional connection with one of the most important places of my childhood, on the other.
My path as a performing artist has been marked by a strong interest in gestural theater and the study of movement; in the use of masks and in the performative and ritual practices of different places in the world. Over the years I have worked as an actor with different companies inside and outside of Spain; I have directed the Enkidu Teatro company, and I have carried out pedagogical work independently that has led me to be invited to different schools and higher education institutions in places as distant as Kerala – in India, or Buenos Aires, passing through the University Catholic of Murcia among others.
Currently I imagine La Cuadra as a place from which to carry out creative and educational projects that contribute to the cultural, social and human development of the area and that allow an exchange with the international artistic community.
I feel very lucky of having been a neighbor of Los Nietos and La Unión since I was born; that my path in professional maturity as an actress and teacher coincided with that of Carlos, a great friend and neighbor. This led me to know La Cuadra when it was just an idea, to witness the change and the beautiful family space that it already is. And that's how I feel: a part of this family.
My life has been marked by constant research and training, bringing the knowledge acquired in different places in Europe and Spain to the stage and to higher artistic education. Being able to participate in a cultural space within the family home, to share with friends, neighbors and other artists seems like a dream that I never thought possible.
Art is that, it is an encounter, it is honest communication from cultural expression, it is a space for social denunciation, it is movement in its different manifestations.
I am Ana Belén López Plazas, architect and author of the design and construction of La Cuadra.
At the beginning, they asked me for a space to rehearse and do theater productions, where they could spend the night due to its location. It was a project focused on the body in theatrical dimensions. The wonder is that now that body is multiple. It was conceived by Carlos and now it belongs to the whole family.
For the office it is a satisfaction to see the project so alive, with so much spatial plasticity. During the design we always think about multiple situations to adapt the spatial distribution, but in this case, reality has far exceeded the design expectations. They range from activities of a high cultural level to others of great social significance.
It is very powerful programming, and responsible too! because they provide culture to a rural environment from a building that participates in the contemporary debate (aesthetics and sustainability). And everything, from their own initiative.
Projects are a reflection of the client (inevitably) and with brave clients, we get brilliant projects. La Cuadra is an example of this.
I came to Los Nietos Viejos to write fictional stories and to have more contact with Nature, after almost forty years in the world of finance. From that reality, alien to art and literature, I decided to keep fragments and experiences in notebooks that always accompanied me. Some of these stories are published in a book entitled "The Solitude of Golf Resorts".
In this new stage came the idea of La Cuadra. With the nearby presence of the Mar Menor, the proposal was to open a space for debates and ideas about theater, literature, cinema, the environment, and critical reflections on any topic of interest.
We took the step forward full of confidence and carried out this project, which is in itself the best book of stories that I could write, because each encounter in La Cuadra will be the beginning of a new story that we can look into with curiosity and surprise.
Los Nietos Viejos, the house... My connection with these words is my childhood. When fishing could no longer support the family, my parents emigrated to another nearby town, they dedicated themselves to agriculture and I was born there. His wish was always to return to Los Nietos, to that small house, with a patio, a stable and a fig tree in the garden. They returned when they retired.
Meanwhile I grew up, studied to become a teacher and Murcia was my new home for forty-four years. A time dedicated to family, work and the passion for knitting and crafts; With all this I acquired tools to start a new stage full of enthusiasm: La Cuadra.
Since September 2023, we have been holding a weaving workshop in which a group of women from Los Nietos Viejos participate and whose work, an example of generosity, has been making a Christmas tapestry to decorate the town square.
La Cuadra was born as a performing and rehearsal space, for family gatherings, friends, neighbors and all those who wish to share their knowledge in favor of the community. It aims to awaken the passion for learning and value the acquired skills.
Collective of artists committed to making this space a vibrant cultural center where the community comes together in creative and enriching dialogue.