Barrilonia Housing Occupation

Barcelona, Spain. 2012

This Zapatista-organized occupation was marking its one-year anniversary of protest against its slum lord manager and Spain’s racist immigration policy. Yamasaki painted one resident of the occupation as well as one young girl from the community. The father of the girl, thrilled to be participating, continued to bring fruits and vegetables from his stand to the residents of the occupation for its duration.

This one-day project was organized by a group of immigrants in the neighborhood of Raval, Barcelona.

As a political protest against Spain’s abusive immigration policies and practices, this group occupied an apartment building formerly run by a slumlord, which they named Barrilonia.

It began as a 1 hour political statement and has turned into a Zapatista supported and organized movement that recently celebrated its 1st year of resistance.

The woman on the left was inspired by one of the residents of the occupation. The young girl was inspired by a young neighbor of the occupation.

Since the painting’s creation, the girl’s father has been bringing fresh fruits and vegetables to Barrilonia every day as an act of solidarity.

The text behind the two figures has the Zapatista saying Somos la Dignidad Rebelde (We are the dignified rebellion).

Because the occupation is Zapatista organized, ‘Somos La Dignidad Rebelde,’ (We are the dignified rebellion) was the requested text to include their occupation with the Zapatista’s global movement for basic human rights.