Model Falla Convento 2006
” Falla” is the name given to each one of the gigantic, sculpted structures of cardboard, wood and sometimes cork, which humorously portray the most relevant current events and personalities.
The typical structure of a Fallas monument is as follows:
- The base: this is obviously the “foundation” of the Falla. The “ninots” or figures are set up on them, representing different scenes. These are explained to visitors by posters in verse located below the “ninots”.
- The central body: this rises up from the base and is usually the part that gives the monument its body and stylistic shape, while acting to give structure and balance.
- The finish: the Fallas’ top part. A figure, or figures, of colossal size, located above the central body. There is also a “counter-finish” – another gigantic figure, though smaller in size than the main one – located on the opposite side, acting as visual counterpoint to round off the structure’s artistic harmony.
Workshop Artista fallero Paco Lpez
A Fallas monument is, as a whole, a mammoth-sized work. As a result, the figure of the “artista fallero”, or Fallas artist, cannot be ignored, as the person responsible for the project and its execution.
Every monument has a subject-matter, or general theme. On that basis, the artist plays with intentions and ideas, using the subject as a pretext to portray what he or she wants to say.
Even though they are colossal monuments (they can exceed 20 metres in some cases), the most spectacular thing about the Fallas is the way they combine sculpture, carpentry, engineering, painting and, in particular, creativity and humour.
Falla Convento Jerusalen 2006
A Falla does not only consider style, composition and modelling. A fundamental role is also played by ingenuity and humour. These are the “Fallero” terms to define the wit and irony of the artists or writers who devise a monument, when portraying the most significant current events or ferociously criticizing what they consider most deserves it.
The Fallas monuments are distributed in sections, according to their size and budget (costs can range from € 6,000 to € 600,000). Although the most spectacular are the ones in the Special Section (top category), no Falla is insignificant, however small it may be, because they are all a marvel of creation and, especially, of imagination.
The children’s Fallas follow the same structure as the adults’ ones, although logically in smaller format (the maximum allowed is 3 x 3 metres). This makes them, in some cases, sculptural works of art in miniature, tremendously colourful and appealing
fallasfromvalencia
Nou Campanar 2006
