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This is one of Spain’s coldest, dreariest weekends, when nothing much happens, and no-one has the energy or money to do anything.
Reyes on January 6 marks the official end of Spanish christmas. Many Spaniards will now be searching for a quiet, cheap weekend.
The time is right to remember the money-making genius of a well-known artist, a film-maker who has achieved great success and a footballer.
SALVADOR DALI & GALA
When Andy Warhol said that ‘business is an art and art is a business’, he might have had Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali in mind.
On January 11, 1974 the Catalan artist/sculptor launched the Gala Foundation. It became one of history’s most successful art businesses.
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Almost four decades later, the Foundation has made more money today than it ever did.
It consists of three ‘museums’ – the Dalí Theatre in Figueres, the Dalí House in Portlligat and the ‘Castle Gala’ in Pübol.
Dali, whether or not he is considered a genius by you or a lunatic by others, knew how to make a lot of money.
As fellow artist and leader of the surrealist movement Andre Breton put it, the Gala Foundation made ‘Avida Dollars’ to use a clever anagram.
Who or what was Gala exactly?
Gala Diakanova, Dali’s muse and wife, was in fact the woman who inspired him. He became a recluse after her 1982 death, and didn’t live very long himself.
His description of how he first met her and then wooed to is very interesting.
He bought the most expensive shirt of red silk he could, then cut out the left chest, where his heart is located.
Proudly, he smeared his own ‘perfume’, which mainly consisted of donkey excrement, across his left nipple, and went to call on her.
She shunned her in no uncertain words. Dali took this as a victory.
They were only separated 50 years after their marriage by her death.
LUIS BUÑUEL
Are you averse to dinner parties? Those awful middle-class affairs where everyone tries to maintain an appearance?
If so, you will enjoy Luis Buñuel’s film, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. It won the Oscar on January 10, 1972 for Best Foreign Language Film.
The Spanish director, who satirizes the dinner party with a vengeance, is probably the most sarcastic person to have ever lived.
A group of ‘nice’ people (lawyers, architects) led by ‘Fernando Rey’ keep trying to hold a posh meal, but things continually go wrong.
Buñuel died in 1983. As a young man, he had been a surrealist film maker and knew Salvador Dalí and Federico Garcia Lorca well.
His Aragonite background was credited with his wry view of life. Aragon, he used to say, is stuck between Catalunya and Castile, and also very much part of ‘Old Spain’.
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Being neither one nor the other, there was only one imperative – to laugh at both.
Buñuel lived and worked in various countries, including France, Mexico and the USA, but never lost his wholly Spanish outlook.
He is now a world-famous director and one of the best in the business.
DANI CARVAJAL
Dani Carvajal, 34, will celebrate his birthday on Sunday.
Real Madrid’s star and captain was brought up in the club’s system but was sold at 20 to Bayer Leverkusen, a German club.
Since then, the Madrileno has always played in the first Real team.
In September 2013, the full-back played his first Champions League match against Galatasaray. Madrid won that game 6-1.
Carvajal scored two goals in his first season of senior football.
Undoubtedly, it was the Champions League Final that made this campaign so memorable.
Real Madrid and Atletico played a match in Lisbon. At first, it appeared that Real Madrid would win, but an equalizing goal forced extra-time.
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In the additional half-hour, Merengues score three goals and win easily.
The Real legend made himself a local favourite when he gave Barcelona fans the ‘middle finger’ in 2016 and was quick to apologise.
Carvajal scored the first goal for the club in the opening match of the 2018 campaign.
The match was particularly exciting for him because Getafe were the opponents (and Dani comes from the rival Madrid suburb Leganes).
The team was doing well until 2024. That’s when he suffered an injury that required him to miss a full year of football.
It’s amazing that he returned to the game in July of 2025. And he looks like he still has plenty more to offer.
The Olive Press’ La Cultura News is available here.
