There are this posters all over Palma with a depressed looking male and another with an equally depressed looking female, advising viewers that help is available. Meanwhile the arts are everywhere. Not functional art. And no longer are artists funded by the church to depict all the many variations on Christ´s birth and crucifiction. Rather the arts that are celebrated here are about personal expression. And as I understand the Spanish youth are much more inclined to become artists and designers than to do something ¨practical¨ like become printers or builders. And with double digit unemployment here in Spain (all construction projects have been halted due to lack of capital), they´re in a society-wide quandry. For a people who are drawn to the darkness and individuality of being artists, it´s a got to be a tough road... and one I very much understand.
After such a long time with Franco, when all women had to incorporate "Maria" in their name, individualism of all kinds is very much encouraged, be it the languages and self government of the cultures found in the autonomous regions, again prohibited by Franco, right down to every person's right of individual expression is highly appreciated. Sure its a long hard row to hoe, but how many really great people have truely come from those following the easiest path to market.
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