| I
wrote last week that we are going to start a new feature "Artists on Ibiza"
and during this week both Louise Wright and José P Ribas kicked off by
going along to interview the famous sculptor of Ibiza, Antonio Hormigo, in his
workshop studio here at Port d'es Turrent. This full length
interview will be featured in next Saturday's edition along with pictures of this
very interesting and talented man with a detailed selection his work over the
many years that he has been producing phenomenal masterpieces. However,
in the meantime, I thought it might be a taster if we were to published a small
selection of pictures from one of Antonio Hormigo's more better known works during
the period it was being made here on the island. This
piece of his work is well-known, simply because, almost every single person who
visits San Antonio will have noticed the "The Shouting Man" which stands
proudly opposite the local Portmany Football Ground in Calle Ramon y Cajal, The
proper name for this statue is "Es Verro" which when translated means
"The Brave One" and it has stood in this same position since 1977
All
pictures courtesy of Antonio Hormigo
Houses
in the Ibicencan countryside are spread far apart and they are mostly isolated.
During the old days people had a way of shouting to give each other news, especially
warnings of when pirates were coming to attack and above all Turkish invaders.
They called this shouting in Ibicencan "UC"
which is a long and very strong shout that more or less sounds like "Ah-ah-ah-ah-too-too"
and when the people heard this shout they knew that something serious was happening.
This shouting is also practised at the end of a local
fiesta or during folklore dancing and was even used many years ago by the man
over his proud conquest of a woman in a courting relationship. Culmination:
You will notice that the left trouser leg of "Es Verro" is turned up.
This is deliberately done to identify "The Brave One" of the neighbourhood.
Gary Hardy | 
