As the warning above says, I shall now and again publish whatever I feel like. Just found these images from my last trip to Zaragoza and Barcelona a few months ago. A 120-gig hard drive offers a lot of surprises…
If you ever travelled through Spain, you would have noticed these gigantic metal silhouettes on the mountain tops. Originally these images of bulls had the explanation next to them: they were larger-than-life advertisements for Osborne brandy.
After many years, the added brand name had become as superfluous as putting Mercedes Benz under the star. Now, however, these giant sculptures are being taken down, at least in Catalunia. Apparently they are still considered a symbol of Franco’s Spain – from a time when this region was not allowed its language, nor its other cultural expressions.
I cannot help the impression that it might also have played a role here that it is definitely a male animal. In these politically correct times, that seems unacceptable. Too bad.
The authorities are much less concerned with typographical correctness. Officially, Spain uses the US alphabet on its freeways, in spite of that one being badly legible and totally out of date. But it stems from a time when every import from the States was considered superior and beyond criticism.
It is quite apparent that the authorities have no idea about typography – just like everywhere else. Every other sign in the region uses good old Helvetica, which is just as unsuited for this purpose, but so easily available and thus ubiquituous.
I have been demanding a Minstry for Typographic Affairs for decades. In vain, obviously.
Nice Blog Mr. Spierkermann, I just wanted to tell you one little thing about the Osborne Bull. I don’t think catalunya removed the bull because it only bacause it has to do with Franco’s regime. It’s because It reminds them the centralism and nationalism (from Madrid and southern Spain), the bull doesn’t represent either Catalunya or Euskadi, the bull fighting, the fiesta, the flamenco and so on are not part of all the regions of spain, so , they dont want to be called something they are not. Also, if you see a guy from barcelona in madrid speaking in Catalan, you will see that Madrileños really hate Catalunya and their language; “why dont they speak spanish, this is Spain” they say… Of course it’s Spain, but they have their own culture too! I’m not from Spain, but I’ve been living here for about seven years, so I can see why they hate each other so much.
I agree that it’s too bad that something like this becomes so political. but the truth is that ultra-nationalism (spanish, not basque or catalan, the facist) uses the bull, the flags and the old Franco’s emblem to spread hate against everything “not spanish”, that includes Immigrants, people from other zones of spain, republicans, liberals etc etc.
http://unjardintan.iespana.es/espanaosborne.gif
I think thats why Catalunya doesn’t like to see the Osborne bull.
thank you so much for this blog, your work inspired me.
There are a lot of this bulls in Mexico too, almost in every highway you can see at least a couple of them, as in this flickr thread:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/toroosborne/discuss/72157594316910027/
En realidad el toro se empezó a retirar por una ley que prohibía la publicidad en las cercanías de las carreteras de ámbito nacional. Pero surgieron quejas en contra(incluso en Cataluña) y ese toro esta tan arraigado que el ministerio de cultura lo protegió como bien cultural y quito el eslogan de Osborne, ahora son patrimonio de todos y el ministerio de cultura los mantiene en buen estado.
did you like Zaragoza?
i´m from Zaragoza, living in Barcelona.
Maybedid you like all our variety of 70’s and 80’s tipographies shop’s signs?
i hope you enjoied your time there.
I´m totally agree with your post.