Artist bio

Ashley Suszczynski is a self taught photographer / photojournalist focused on capturing ancient traditions in the modern world. Her images tell the stories of how cultural relics, customs and beliefs have withheld time and survived through the centuries.

Title

The Joaldunak & The Battle of Good vs Evil

Medium/Genre

Digital Art

Artist Statement

The exhibition of the Joaldunak takes place during the age-old carnival tradition in villages of Navarre, Spain - specially in the region of Malerreka. Here, we see the Joaldunak of the villages of Ituren & Zubieta. The Joaldunak are the protagonists of the carnival, symbolizing the forces of good in the fight of good versus evil. Their duty was not only to protect the villages' cattle, but to chase away evil spirits to ensure healthy villagers and a good harvest.

Another key character of the carnival is the chained bear (the Hartza), who is said to represent the devil and all things evil.
He is paraded through the streets of Ituren & Zubieta, held captive by his master who proudly flaunts his prisoner to the villagers to show them that evil has been overcome. The master's struggles to contain the bear are constant, as the bear tried to break free and mix between the people of the crowd. This can be compared to our own internal & spiritual battles that we face daily, as we work hard to built our character and ensure that goodness prevails within ourselves.

The pair is led by a large troupe of Joaldunak, who bless the village with holy water using a horsetail whip as an aspergillum.
The unified ringing of their heavy cowbells is used to scare away all of the evil spirits from the the town as the Joaldunak parade through the streets. The rhythmic experience is both powerful and pacifying.

How it fits into contest

The exhibition of the Joaldunak takes place during the age-old carnival tradition in villages of Navarre, Spain - specially in the region of Malerreka. Here, we see the Joaldunak of the villages of Ituren & Zubieta. The Joaldunak are the protagonists of the carnival, symbolizing the forces of good in the fight of good versus evil. Their duty was not only to protect the villages' cattle, but to chase away evil spirits to ensure healthy villagers and a good harvest.

Another key character of the carnival is the chained bear (the Hartza), who is said to represent the devil and all things evil.
He is paraded through the streets of Ituren & Zubieta, held captive by his master who proudly flaunts his prisoner to the villagers to show them that evil has been overcome. The master's struggles to contain the bear are constant, as the bear tried to break free and mix between the people of the crowd. This can be compared to our own internal & spiritual battles that we face daily, as we work hard to built our character and ensure that goodness prevails within ourselves.

The pair is led by a large troupe of Joaldunak, who bless the village with holy water using a horsetail whip as an aspergillum.
The unified ringing of their heavy cowbells is used to scare away all of the evil spirits from the the town as the Joaldunak parade through the streets. The rhythmic experience is both powerful and pacifying.

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