Carles Congost

Un dit de gel (Portrait of the Artist at Twilight in El Port de la Selva) adopts cinematic language as a means of synthesising a series of concepts related to the notion of summer holidays from an autobiographical perspective. Through a reflective yet highly ironic gaze, the project moves away from the tourist stereotype and delves into the artist’s own emotional and lived experiences in relation to the surroundings and landscape of El Port de la Selva, ultimately constructing an analogy between these experiences and his own reality within the art world.

The artist, played by actress Judit Martín, appears carrying out some of the typical rituals of the summer holidaymaker and is presented as a marginal figure, someone who struggles to fit into the dynamics and sensuality associated with this time of year. Through repeated references to his pathologies and phobias, the character begins a reflection on the continuity of human experience in the face of the transformations brought about by time.

In parallel, the film depicts the enigmatic interaction between the artist and a young antagonist, played by actor Oriol Valls, creating a nostalgic contrast between the past and present-day reality while addressing themes of transformation and loss that resonate deeply with the complexity of human experience.

The Congosound is the musical alias of artist Carles Congost, under which he has worked as a composer and music producer since the late 1990s. On numerous occasions, this musical practice directly informs his visual work, as in the film Un dit de gel, which features three co-productions by the artist created together with musician Andrés Papas Pérez: new versions of Port de la Selva and Les cançons romàntiques, both originally included on the album Ocells com tu (Austrohúngaro / Maletas Violentas, 2023) by Josep Xortó + The Congosound, and performed on this occasion by singer Nadlyn; and the title track, Un dit de gel, created specifically for this work and performed by actor Oriol Valls.

With Judit Martín, Oriol Valls
Hannah Menduiña, Bruno Pascual, Marcos Pascual, Andrea Simó, Alfred Serra, Adrià Bohigas

Director: Carles Congost
Screenplay: Carles Congost, Roger Menduiña
Head of Production: Elena Boix
Camera and Cinematography: Daniel Riera
Camera Assistant: Marc de Miguel
Sound: Blai Barba
Editing: Bernat Granados
Make-up, Hair and FX: Cèlia Daroca
Styling: Rosa Codina
Art Direction: Xevi Masmitjà
Music Production: Andrés Papas Pérez, The Congosound —Ángel Sound Studio, Barcelona—

Credits
Opening date: 18 July
Time: 7 pm
Intervention dates: 18 July and 29 August
Opening hours: Thursday to Saturday, 6–9 pm
Venue: ARBAR Centre

Text: Carles Congost
Photography: Aniol Simon / ARBAR
Co-production: ARBAR / Bòlit, Centre d’Art Contemporani de Girona