We hardly stop to think about the curative power of art and how it can shed light even in the most difficult moments of our lives. One of them, without a doubt, is losing a child. In July 2020, Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada and his family had to say goodbye to Neuquén, his first child. He was 20 years old. An unimaginable pain, which has come to life and sense in a wonderful mural in Badalona where the artist and his son merge in an eternal embrace. Because only whose who are forgotten die.

The first mural that Jorge Rodríguez-Gerada made when he arrived in Barcelona 20 years ago was also a portrait of Neuquén. Years later, the broadcast LA PELL DELS MURS (The Skin of the Walls) decided to dedicate a 30mn documentary to the artist, produced by Patricia Fombella and Santi Suarez and directed by Laura Herrero Garvin, in collaboration with Montana Colors.


TO NEUQUÉN, THE GREAT TRAVELER
When I first arrived in Barcelona in 2001, the first mural I ever did was of my son, Neuquén, and here I am, 20 years later, creating a mural that combines so many things that he taught me throughout his journey by our side. It is now where his mother, brother and sister went up on the lift with me to help me create this homage to him.
Neuquén showed me so much, and I feel like a lot of the things I do today as an artist, with all the scale and complexity, are not barriers for me because caring for him showed me what true barriers are. All the other things that we let stop us are usually just in our heads. Thank you beautiful, tender, wise, Neuquén for expanding my horizons in art, life and love. Thank you Ana Álvarez-Errrecalde, Milla and Alén for being such an important part of creating this mural and everything else in my life.

Video by Fer Alcala