Authors: Ben Ruhe
Date Submitted: February 28, 2003
Article Type: Journal

Not much about the Spanish kite scene seems to be known in the United States, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a fair bit going on. Rather, it seems to be a case of the Spaniards keeping a low profile.

Joan Montcada, a Catalan living in Barcelona, is an avid kitemaker and flier, and he explains the silence as being a function of his country’s mid-20th century history. Civil war in the late 1930s and then severe repression, particularly in Catalonia where Catalan culture and language were proscribed under the dictatorial regime, taught people to go about their business and pleasures without attracting undue attention to themselves.

Montcada’s first name, by the way, is pronounced something like “Jo-anh.” It’s Catalan for “John.” This is explained by his spirited daughter Marta, who translates for him and collaborates in his art activities and kiteflying. Besides her native Catalan, she speaks Spanish and other Latin languages, is fluent in English, and is currently studying Japanese. By profession, she is a printmaker, painter and arts teacher.

PDF Link: Journal Issue