Belen Cerezo

　　Far and Close

　　"Today I am going to explain you the difference between far and close." One character of a popular children's television program said this sentence. This character used to make little performances to teach children opposite concepts. However the difference between being far and being close cannot be explained in such a simple way. Between being far and being close there is a huge space, and we have to move in and to inhabit this space. It can be a space of distance, a space of separation, of pain, hope, or desire.

　　Far and close is about exploring the connections between the public space, the city, and our private space, referring to our feelings and desires.

　　In our daily lives we walk fast around a city passing by a great number of unknown faces. Although sometimes we experience the city in a different way, experiencing pain or love, distance or closeness can be very essential suspending or motivating forces.

　　Migration, the movement of people across the globe, is becoming one of the biggest defining issues of our times. Nevertheless we usually do not tend to look at the emotional side of emigration. Migration always involves separation, leaving behind at least the past, the home and the customs. Every migrant knows very well the difference between being far and being close.