A Proposal Between Art and Critical Theory
Espai LaGranja in Burjassot presents Scopic Drive and Nudity, an artistic and theoretical intervention by Javier Contreras that examines how the gaze—understood as scopic drive—constructs and deconstructs the perception of the naked body in art. Scheduled for 29 August 2026, this event is part of the cultural programme of the Valencian Institute of Culture (IVC) and is framed within a broader reflection on the boundaries between public and private, visible and hidden.
Contreras, whose career spans academic research and artistic creation, proposes a format that fuses theoretical essay with performative elements. His work starts from the premise that nudity is not merely an aesthetic resource but a political act that challenges social, gender, and power norms. To this end, he revisits concepts from Lacanian psychoanalysis—such as scopic drive—and confronts them with contemporary artistic practices that have used the body as a tool of resistance.
The session is exclusively for adults over 18, a requirement that underscores the nature of the topic. While specific timings and the structure of the intervention have not been detailed, sources close to the project suggest that the Espai LaGranja’s space will play an active role in the experience, integrating its architecture and atmosphere into the reflection.
For information about the venue, check the Espai LaGranja profile.
Context and References
The concept of scopic drive, developed by Jacques Lacan, refers to the desire to look and be looked at as a fundamental mechanism in the construction of subjectivity. In contemporary art, this idea has been explored by artists such as Marina Abramović, Valie Export, and Tania Bruguera, who have used the body—and its exposure—to challenge power structures that regulate visibility.
Javier Contreras aligns with this tradition but with a more marked theoretical approach. His proposal does not merely seek to display but to analyse the mechanisms that make the gaze possible: What drives us to observe? How is desire articulated in the relationship between spectator and artwork? What role does nudity play in transgressing social norms? These central questions in his work will materialise in an intervention that promises to go beyond the purely visual.
Verified Details
- Date: 29 August 2026 (according to the Cultural Agenda of the Ministry of Culture).
- Venue: Espai LaGranja (Parque de la Granja, Burjassot).
- Minimum age: 18.
- Price: Unconfirmed. Tickets not yet on sale.
- Organiser: Valencian Institute of Culture (IVC).
