Open dj nights, 2010

Open dj nights
Bar Cucaramacara. Madrid, Spain. 2010.

In Puerto Rico every bar has its “vellonera”. That’s what they call jukeboxes, because people used to puts coins in them to play a song. The praxis of the “vellonera” fascinates me because a personal decision becomes a public event. Everyone present shares the song chosen by one person or group. The concept of an open DJ night is based on Caribbean “velloneras” which usually have a mix of musical genres for all tastes.

This is an invitation for those present to add their favourite song to the dynamics of the night, no matter what musical genre or language it is. This way, a series of songs will be played chosen by the public. The specific invitation to bring your favourite song becomes a practical, fun exercise where each person shares something of emotional value with the group. I like thinking of all the possibilities for sharing and lending. The practice of circulating things with emotional value within a group of friends or a community allows us to reflect on a form of common or community property where it is possible to share and lend things with intellectual and even economic value.