Almsgiving Art: a work in motion
Art has always been, in essence, a form of encounter. With “Arte Limosnero” (Alms Art), Santi Flores presents a new artistic proposal that draws on a nearly forgotten tradition to transform it into a contemporary experience based on human connection, itinerancy, and shared emotion.
A reinterpreted tradition
The project was inspired by the old house chapels, also known as alms chapels. These small religious structures traveled from house to house within a community, carrying devotional images and creating moments of encounter between people.
With respect for this tradition, Santi Flores appropriates its aesthetic and symbolic essence, moving away from the religious dimension to focus on the social gesture that defined it: the act of sharing. The chapel ceases to be merely an object and becomes a vehicle for connection between individuals.
The creation of the chapels
The first phase of the project, now complete, consisted of the creation of a series of chapels designed by the artist. Inside, each chapel houses artistic expressions in the form of paintings and sculptures that reflect Santi Flores's characteristic style, marked by its conceptual and emotional dimension.
These works are not conceived as static pieces, but as living structures that acquire meaning through the journey they make and the stories they generate along the way.
An open social experiment
With the creation of the chapels, the second part of the project now begins: a social experiment whose development and outcome are, by definition, uncertain. The artworks will be given away free of charge to people who wish to participate in the experience, with one condition: to immortalize the moment of the delivery by sharing a photograph on social media.
Each participant will safeguard the Alms Art for approximately one month before passing it on to another person of their choosing. This process will continue for a year, building a chain of human encounters where art serves as a point of connection.
Where will the construction work end up after that time?
What stories will emerge in each installment?
Will they become an excuse to reunite, strengthen ties, or start new personal and professional relationships?
These questions are an essential part of the proposal, which is conceived as an open work where the journey is as important as the art object.
The beginning of the journey
To launch the circulation of the first pieces, a series of 18 works, the artist will hold an event in his own studio. There, the chapels will be allocated to attendees interested in participating in the project, marking the beginning of a collective journey where art leaves the traditional exhibition space to become integrated into everyday life.
Limosnero Art doesn't seek definitive answers, but rather to activate experiences. It's a work that transforms with each person, each photograph, and each shared story, reminding us that art can exist beyond the object itself, becoming a gesture of connection between individuals.
