Original subtitles

What type of service you want for your mother?

Don't know.

The basic arrangement includes the hearse...

and an extra car for the family.

Will you need more cars?

No.

It's just me.

This arrangement also includes an ambulance to the service,

and a 12 hour coffee reception.

The cost is $3000 for the Peugeot,

or $5000 for the Mercedes Benz.

Hi, cute. How are you?

Cigarette!

Yes.

I brought some drawings to see if...

Do you have an appointment?

No. I can show you...

Good morning. - How are you?

I'll be with you in a second.

I wanted to know...

if you...

Do you sell pictures? - It's an art gallery.

Can I show you? - No, no.

To bring your work you need to send us a dossier...

Do you know what a dossier is?

An envelope with photos of your work,

press material, a complete resume,

a letter of introduction or referral.

All in duplicate to this address. Okay?

I have to leave you, I'm in a rush.

Can I go in and take a look?

Hi, I'm your neighbor.

Yes, yes. - How do you do?

Good. One question...

You are a photographer, right?

Hey, these are really good!

Education?

No.

Self-taught.

Languages?

Not... None.

Spanish...

and some English.

Exhibits?

No.

In different...

collective...

exhibits...

around the country.

Cigarette!

Down... slowly.

Up again... slowly.

Keep it there...

So, you get a five percent reimbursement...

for paying with your ATM card.

You also get a 10 percent discount from the shop...

for using the bank's credit card.

On top of that...

the bank gives you access...

to a lot of discount prices just for using the card.

Good...

Romano...

Good...

Hello!

Yes...

Yes, no problem, hold on...

Jorge! Phone call for you.

Hello...

Yes...

Workshop...

No, no. I'll take the drawings to the gallery.

I'll go by tomorrow then.

Thanks a lot,

bye, thanks.

Hi! - How are you? I'm Jorge.

Jorge... How are you? - Good.

Everything okay? We were waiting for you.

Some of the pieces you brought are in bad shape.

Why?

You leave them hanging around...

Take care of your work.

Let's cut to the chase.

We liked your work.

Direct... powerful.

We don't usually pay attention to folders.

It just didn't look like an artist's dossier.

That's why I looked, thought it was something else.

The calendar is full for the next couple of years, but...

we can find some space in the schedule.

It could be... September.

Obviously, I'll give you some money in advance,

so you can buy materials...

and dedicate yourself to produce.

I want you to know exactly how this deal works.

60% for the gallery...

and 40% for you.

Did you start drawing as a kid?

No.

You don't sign your work.

No. - Sign it.

Hello. Yes... How are you?

Fine, fine.

Congratulations. Your work is amazing.

What's your inspiration?

It just comes out this way.

Emiliano. - Hey! Congratulations.

A very good exhibit. - An art curator...

a close friend.

Curator... - Yes, curator.

The absurd about this... conceptual art...

which should work as a criticism...

to the power, the regime,

but are completely absorbed...

they are functional...

to the official art system.

They are used and bought by corporations,

or by important collectors,

and so are turned...

I didn't want to leave without congratulating you.

Are turned into just the contrary.

Sofia, an Uruguayan artist. - Hello.

She was awarded a special mention...

at the last Women International Festival.

Last year. - Actually... two years ago.

Congratulations. I love them.

I'd love you to see some of my work.

You are invited. - Very good work.

It's a series of old Polaroids portraying worn out teddy bears.

He'll be there, right? You'll be there.

You are an artist.

Well, that's too big a word maybe...

No, in my point of view you are an artist.

A dental surgeon is called a dental surgeon,

a mechanic is called mechanic,

and the same with a plumber. Saying "I'm an artist"...

doesn't mean saying "I'm a good or bad artist".

Congratulations.

The food was great. Good night.

She is so boring, I'm sure you know her...

She is an artist,

workes putting together scenes inside a microwave oven,

small dolls, small toys, she puts the whole scene together...

and then turns up the oven until it's all a big melt down,

that burned plastic is her work...

so old fashion... a charade...

and now she is doing a video of the process...

of herself working... because...

she is starting to do very well,

she won a prize at the Caracas Biennial Exhibition...

Hi. Excuse me. Can I say hello?

Hi. How are you? - Good.

I swear to God I never do this kind of thing,

I'm not the fan type... Are you Jorge?

It's what we were talking today about McLuhan...

about art being full of completely useless stuff,

which turns out to be absolutely necessary. Just that.

I think it's an important issue.

Interesting, right? - The picture?

I don't know, interesting is a word I tell my students...

when I am not interested in telling them anything.

I think you can't appreciate an artist's work,

watching just one picture anyway,

you need to see more of his work...

and this guy is just starting, it's his first exhibit,

I think it's not enough.

Can't you tell?

Yes, I'm not sure, maybe you can,

but it's naive, like watching picture cards...

while saying... this one's nice, this one isn't.

This deserves a more intelligent look...

If you like it, you can tell. If not, you just know you don't.

Well, Ch�jov used to say something like that.

Art is classifiable... Art pieces are sorted,

some you like, some you don't, in my point of view...

You need to think on other stuff,

not just the guy's work but the whole context...

The moment in which it was done,

the work of other artists, even literature...

Pollock used to say surrealists mixed paint with literature,

and I think he was kind of right.

So... what does this picture mean to you?

What a question!

That question should be forbidden.

I don't know what it means... I mean,

Rimbaud used to say art is in itself stupid.

I don't understand what it means, and I think it is okay if I don't.

If I did, it'd loose it's value, if it has any... I'm not sure...

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

It doesn't matter.

Duchamp used to say art...

is not in the paintings... nor done by the painter.

Art is in the person looking. It means it is in yourself.

Yes? - Ana.

Have you ever considered refurbishing the apartment?

No.

I bet you never got massages like this.

No, never.

Do you know how it works? - What?

First I give them to you, then you have to give them to me.

Hi, Jorge...

How did it go with the drawings? - Good.

Have you been living with your grandpa for a long time?

He is not my grandfather.

I have been taking care of him for some time now,

but... he is not my grandfather.

He has no family left.

So what's the story with him?

He is like a plant.

He doesn't speak at all.

That's a different story anyway.

Excuse me... This is ready, right?

Jorge... Losada. How are you?

Yes...

Listen.

I have a couple of articles about your exhibit.

Yes, yes. Let me read it to you.

"An exceptional exhibit. Ramirez' drawings, deeply expressive...

speak from an extemporaneous place,

questioning the present tendencies.

Not just a fresh breeze but a fierce wind,

which renews the rare ambience air".

How about that! Yes. Okay, okay.

I have another one written by a total jerk!

"Nothing new to discover in Ramirez' work,

a novel with some ability...

who fails to provide anything original to the current scene".

This guy's an asshole!

He writes in "Art Today", I know his kind.

If you can't plug in the picture or it's not full of color lights,

he thinks it's not contemporary art.

He is no good.

I'm probably his one and only reader.

Yes, yes, but check this one, it's good.

Romano... Romano...

The exhibit's catalog.

There are some reviews that were... were... published.

"Jorge Ramirez draws as if no one had ever drawn before him.

A work deep and timeless...

refractory to contemporary tendencies...

Ramirez work is paradoxical.

A young and novel artist,

owner of an ancestral work,

rooted to the source... essential."

Somehow...

As part of my pursuit, my historicism thirst,

as an art historian, part of my professional obsession,

I find a clear reference between Jorge Ramirez' work,

and a movement which took place during the early 00th century,

called "Art Brut"...

translation, "art of the madmen".

It was a movement boosted almost entirely by Jean Dubuffet,

who somehow put in the spotlight an unknown or eluded kind of art,

consisting on the art production made by mental patients,

and that triggered a lot of interest...

around intellectuals, in this case Europeans,

and to put it this way, attuned to the Freudian ideas,

of an art capable of avoiding the filter of the artist,

the filter of will, an art which traveled,

directly from the subconscious to the paper.

Still now, we could say, it's a very recognized movement,

there are museums that cater for it.

I am absolutely not saying that Jorge...

is mentally ill or has psychiatric problems.

I am doing a historical reference,

a reading of his work in the context of the history of art.

There is not a will from his side anyway,

since I believe that he's unaware of this movement,

but it's a reading from the historical point of view...

regarding contemporary manifestations.

I believe time's up...

Let's dedicate this last two minutes,

in case you have questions for Jorge,

since he was so kind to come,

if there are any questions for the artist...

It seems no one is in the mood for asking...

Okay, time's up anyway...

so I'll ask all to say goodbye to him,

and somehow thank him for his visit at the university.

Everything fine? Were you conformable?

Luckily no one asked any questions!

If they ask, you can always say...

"My work speaks on my behalf".

This is Jorge Ramirez' answering machine,

leave your message after the beep.

Hello, this is Jorge Ramirez.

Leave your message please.

Jorge.

Jorge Ramirez. Leave your message.

Messages.

If someone interviews me and ask me, "How do you feel?"

I'll answer, "I feel I'm an iphone".

Don't laugh, I feel like an iphone!

I mean, I work just like an iphone.

I feel versatile and flexible like the iphone.

It's just amazing.

I really mean it. Just the other day...

I was at Micha's party feeling like...

the center of the earth, and thought,

"Dude! I'll take it to the top and just stay there"

And at some point I tried to leave because I was...

I was like really tired, I snapped!

And went straight to the bottom. Snap!

Right to the top, down to the bottom.

I started applying that for everything.

I was talking with Ricardi about the cellphone add campaign.

He alienated me. Took me straight to the bottom,

deep down to the bottom.

I left my brain working to the minimum,

and I did it... Snap! Turned to the next page,

left him standing there, that was amazing!

What size of Iphone are you? - 8 Gigs.

Isn't 8 kind of small?

He asks how do you see yourself...

within other contemporary Latin American artists...

What artists?

These are fine...

I'm not the borrowing kind with books...

I want to give you something else...

This one.

Thanks!

Yes?

No, no. Not on Thursday...

No, no, I've already told them.

No, on Thursday I'll be seating as part of the jury all day long.

Okay, Teofilo. First of all the dampness.

Let's fix these spots here in the hall...

Yes... - Beside the door...

The living room... Those stains, okay?

Yes, fine. - Do you see it?

Yes. - Okay.

But I have to plaster it first, then comes the paint.

Yes, yes. - It needs some drying time...

Okay. - After that we paint it.

Okay, fine.

And we take down this wallpaper too.

Okay, we take it down.

Yes. Yes. And paint everything white.

Okay, great.

Everything, walls, ceiling, everything.

All right? I guess... I guess that's it.

The paper.

What's the matter?

Are you okay?

Do you need something?

Excuse me.

Cigarette!

I don't have any here...

I have some at home.

Bye, bye.

Jorge!

Jorge...

I was about to call you. - How are you?

Fine. How are you? - Good.

Working, right?

The exhibit is almost around the corner...

I need some work. I want to present new stuff.

Yes. I'm on it.

It's just not coming out easily.

Come on. Get on it.

We'll talk later. I'll let you take care of your guest.

Oh, hold on!

I have another check for you.

The "Ramirez" are selling like hot potatoes.

Let's see...

There it goes...

What's next?

Do you want to try another?

Let's check this one...

Let's see...

This one...

There it goes...

Come on...

"It is absolutely not important for the artist...

to have created the urinal with his own hands or not.

The fact is he chose it".

Sure, he didn't do the work.

Bought it, and showcased it as art.

He put an urinal inside a museum.

Wise guy...

"This work demands a fresh look regarding the object.

The artist adds a new content...

due to the surroundings.

He appropriates it".

Someone else did it!

If I grab this...

a telephone... anything,

and put it in a museum...

and say: "This is art",

am I an artist?

Hello!

Hi, how are you?

Working... I have my hands full.

Ana... I've told you. I'll give you a call as soon as I'm free...

Me? Going to your rehearsal?

Come on Ana, project your look... From the top on two.

Okay? And...

Set the position... and a touch, a touch, a touch...

Spin it, spin it, spin it, spin it, back, back and...

That's it! And again!

Hold it! There you go! Yes, yes, yes!

Shirt, shirt, shirt and eyes!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Okay!

Ana, get over there! Okay, okay, okay, okay!

Get over here, project, project, project...

Push it to the limit Ana! And shoulders... There!

Shoulder, shoulder, shoulder, and twist and... Yes!

And... down! Okay... No, no, no, no...

Pay attention, pay attention.

Hello, Jorge? It's Carmen, the nurse.

Oh, yes, I'll be right down.

Carmen...

Romano doesn't speak, but he understands.

He understands everything.

He doesn't like it when you are around a lot.

The pills. Twice a day,

at 8 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon,

you give him Enalapril. - Yes, okay.

They are for the blood pressure.

At night you measure his pressure,

and make a note in the chart over the night table.

Okay.

The Nimopidina, the white one.

Once a day. At night, before going to bed.

Does he take it with his dinner? - You can then, yes.

I'll leave all the instructions written for you anyway.

Don't worry. - Okay.

This is his vitamin B complex. - Yes.

One per day, after his lunch.

You know an aspirin... - Yes.

This one, Simvastatina, the turquoise one...

Yes. - For cholesterol.

Those used to come in another color, didn't they?

Yes.

Listen, he might get... restless,

maybe at night. It hasn't been the case lately,

but he can have one of these. - Okay.

Only on rare occasions. - Okay.

Truth is, I'm not totally into this piece.

It looks kind of harsh, a bit more schematic.

You are right. I'm not totally there yet.

It took me ages just to get this one.

But is Losada putting pressure on you?

The elements are the same,

the iconography is the same... The palette is the same.

But it looks like everything has been put in there.

It's lacking that stroke the previous ones had,

the fluency your drawing had.

I liked it! I liked it.

It is strong.

But... you sent only one. - Yes...

I wanted to send more of your work to the exhibit.

Yes, I don't know... I'm sort of uninspired.

Don't you feel the one I sent is missing something?

It's not flowing...

I'm not totally sure about it.

But... I'll keep working on it,

I'll get around it.

Listen... This can happen often...

but this one, goes straight to the exhibit.

Really?

But you need to keep on working,

we need more work.

Yes... I don't know if I'll make it.

If you don't, we'll send some of the old work.

Yes... Yes, yes.

Yes, I'm wasted, I swear to God.

How are you doing?

Good!

Listen, delete the pictures on the cell phone, okay?

No, no, I mean it.

Hold on, hold on. Let me call you right back.

Hi. - Hello.

What happened?

He got a stain on the wall. I'll clean it.

No, leave it. Don't worry. I'll handle it. Just go.

You don't need me to say? - No, no. Go.

That's enough, right? There... There...

Carmen, we won't be needing you anymore.

I'll give you some money...

Please, take it. Until you find something else...

If you need any references, you can obviously ask me.

There won't be any trouble with that.

Your work was excellent.

And I'm sure Romano thanks you too.

I know he is happy, so...

I put all your stuff apart there.

Are you taking it?

What do you think? Do we take it?

I'm not sure...

If you take the LCD, I can get you the discreet delivery for free.

Do you know how it works? - No.

Technicians of the company contact you,

and arrange for the delivery during an unconventional time.

From 0 to 5 in the morning. Get it?

No.

Security reasons.

No one in the neighborhood notices...

you are being delivered a valuable object at home.

You get it in a neutral packaging.

Boxes with no stickers or logos.

They set it up and then take care of all the leftovers.

Cardboard, wraps, foam.

It's as if nothing was taken to your place.

Excuse me...

Do you have any of those entry phones...

in which you can watch the person on the door?

With a viewer?

Video entry phone? - Yes.

On the air on ten...

On the air on five...

We are enjoying the presence of Jorge Ramirez,

who was so kind to accept to chat with us.

Welcome. - Thank you.

As I always say...

a true artist is not something you see every day.

And without a doubt...

Jorge Ramirez is the most trendy artist today.

He has gathered excellent reviews.

Let's accept it too, he has sold a lot too!

So Jorge... What do you want?

What do you ask for? What do you demand...

as an artist?

Nothing at all.

Nothing at all.

Jorge... Picasso or Dali?

It depends.

Which school or trend do you feel closer to?

Well, I'd rather let the work speak on my behalf.

Okay... We are almost over with the show,

and as we usually do...

as some kind of exercise we treat our guests to...

you'll play the role of the interviewer...

I'll stop asking... so you can do the questions.

So, what do you want to know?

You can ask whatever comes to your mind...

Ask, Jorge.

Yes, Jorge, an individual exhibit.

At the Museum of Contemporary Art.

Yes, they want to put up an individual exhibit.

It's a big thing for you.

Consecratory.

It would be in October. Very good timing.

Emiliano would be the curator.

Hey, did you think about Gagliesi's offer?

I think it's very good...

A coin to spare, boss? - It's an old fashion trade...

A car for a piece of art...

Universal classics for meditation moments.

It's for relax time...

Yes, sorry...

A Daihatsu Cuore 94.

No! A nice little car.

Red.

Okay! Okay!

Jorge, you are about to drive a dangerous machine.

The first golden rule. The safety belt.

You have to use the safety belt.

You'll be driving an automobile.

It moves thanks to an engine.

The engine is going to transfer movement to the wheels...

through a gear box.

Start reversing... Steer...

Move closer, more...

Slowly, slowly, slowly!

Stop it! Stop it!

You hit the cone.

Artist, Jorge Ramirez. Work on paper...

Non traditional, non artistic materials...

This could be it.

No, no, no... What are you doing?

Look at the mess you've done!

You ruined all the drawings!

Hello... Oh...

Is it open? Come up.

Let me see... Let's see those hands.

Open the hand...

Hello. - How's it going?

Good. - How are you?

Just fine.

Drawing? - I was signing them.

Do you want something to drink? - Water.

Take a seat. I'll be right back.

Cigarette!

How do you do? Cigarette?

Losada? How are you?

I'm at Jorge's,

Yes, yes. Jorge Ramirez.

No, no. I wanted to tell you something important.

Yes...

I'm watching his new stuff,

I'm standing in front of it. It's incredible.

It's as if he smears everything with a powerful black...

Yes, yes, it's visceral, blunt...

as if hand made, incredible. Very powerful.

It's a way out off what he was doing up to now.

Hold on, Jorge is here, let me put you on speaker.

Losada... - Hello Jorge.

Hi? - What's this mess you are up to?

He is entering his dark stage.

Wow! Good, good!

Hello... No, you need to see this,

it's impressive.

Yes, yes, it's like a critical speech about his past work,

it covers it, denies it...

but then recovers it.

It's very good!

On Friday then, yes, yes, yes... Okay.

I'll tell Jorge to give me some of the stuff...

Okay, I'll take some.

Okay, see you on Friday. Regards, bye.

I'll leave some more here.

The exhibit is articulated in four modules.

One goes in the small room,

the big room will be divided into three using panels,

two symmetrical ones and a small,

more intimate one here. Good.

In this room goes all the work in color,

since the rest is monochromatic.

In the first room, the small one,

we put his first work, which is more irregular.

It goes in patch work style. - Good planning.

Emiliano. - Yes.

So people come in through here...

and what they see first are the big stained ones?

Messages.

Hello Jorge. I'm Bernardo,

director of the Franklin Art Gallery of Rome.

I'm visiting Buenos Aires...

and wanted to have a word with you, it's important.

I'm staying at the Capital Hotel, room 311.

Please call me as soon as you can...

at 4593-0079.

I'll be waiting for your call, bye.

We are an international gallery...

seeded at Rome,

but we do the whole international exhibit circuit,

we go to Chicago, we go to Art Basel Miami,

we go to Art Basel at Basilea,

we go to Frieze at London.

We sell around...

35 million dollars annually,

and have a permanent cast of 16 artists.

If you accept working with us,

you'd be the 17th. Artist at the gallery.

But... for this to happen...

you should come to work near us.

You'll have to move to Rome.

It's here.

As soon as you are finished put a nylon to prevent any damage.

People gets in through here just like us,

and this is the first room they see.

So I thought I'd put your last work,

the one people doesn't know.

Over this and that wall...

we'll display the black small and medium format ones,

and over the back wall the two big black ones.

The big ones go over there.

Come with me.

This is the main room, the biggest of the exhibit.

And behind that panel over there, goes the small work,

the ones from the first era, the damaged ones...

Lots of those, like forty.

What do you mean?

I don't do the drawings.

The old man does them, Romano.

I know you take your strength from him,

that your relationship is what inspires you...

No, I'm telling you something else.

What I'm telling you is that the one drawing the pictures...

is Romano.

That I don't know how to draw.

You don't know how to draw?

Your work is impressive, look at all you've done.

Yes, the work is impressive.

But the one drawing is the old man.

You don't get it.

No, I don't get it.

I don't get it, and I think you are drunk.

Okay, it's okay...

How are you doing? - Hello.

Big success, uh? Everyone is here.

Yes, a lot of people.

Critics, curators, artists. Everyone came.

Is it okay if I stay here?

Yes... You'll pass by like just a phobic artist.

As I told you...

what really matters is the work, not the artist.

Don't get mad at me, but I'd rather stay alone today.

What's the matter?

Nothing, just that.

No, I don't get it.

Let's talk tomorrow, okay?

What's going on?

It's just that the old man is sleeping... I'm really tired.

I'll call you.

Hey! Hey!

And without a doubt, Jorge Ramirez is...

the most trendy artist of our time.

I find a clear reference between Jorge Ramirez' work,

and a movement which was called "Art Brut"...

Art flowing directly from the subconscious to the paper.

What's your inspiration?

What's art?

You don't sign your pictures... Sign them!

Duchamp used to say art is not on the pictures...

nor done by the painters... Art is in the viewer.

Jorge Ramirez draws as if no one had ever drawn before.

A work rooted to the basics, essential...

What really matters is the work, not the artist.

You should come to work near us...

You should move to Rome.

Passport, right?

Yes. - Stare at Mickey Mouse.

Hold it please.

Thanks.

Without the hat, please.

Stare at Mickey Mouse to the left, please.

Hold it...

Thanks.

We come from this symbolic phase we already knew from Ramirez...

to this new situation...

The black covering plane.

What does it mean? What do you think it means?

Because there is denial expanding multi directionally...

over a gesturally attractive situation,

rich, blunt, deep,

interrupted by... No cameras!

What does all this mean?

What do you feel Ramirez is after with this last production?

Check that picture, for example.

What happens when he adds black?

I had the chance to speak to Ramirez at an exhibit,

so I asked him...

I put him in touch with the denial issue.

Which is the relation his production establishes...

with this field that denies?

And the answer was...

Brilliant, convincing...

categorical silence.

Is everything fine?

Messages.

Jorge, it's Losada. Pick up the phone, please.

We need to talk.

It's about Italy. Don't get the idea it will be easy...

Please call me so we can talk. Will you?

What were we at?

What about you?

Hello!

Yes, I need an ambulance.

An old man passed away.

He is dead. I'm a nurse.

Argentine Airlines announces boarding...

of its flight number 1140, destination, Rome.

All passengers should board on gate 11.

The fridge gets here next week, don't worry.

Between 1 and 3, or after 9,

you can't be loud...

You know... The neighbors.

Electricity is very expensive here in Italy. Don't abuse it.

Electricity and noise... No.

If you want to use the phone or Internet...

down there, see...

Two blocks away there's an "Internet point".

And if you need anything...

upstairs lives a young artist from the gallery,

he is a guy from Central America.

These are the keys to the house.

This one, the small one,

is the one to the gate...

The big one, to the apartment.

Please don't loose them.

Okay, now settle in, relax and rest.

See you on Monday at the gallery.

This is my number...

Welcome to Rome.