Walk the streets of the center of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela,
Inadvertently look up, maybe you will see such a shocking scene -
Hundreds of dolls filled every gap in the third-floor balcony, densely packed,
Don't say it's a dim night, it's just that the big day makes people feel crazy...
Some of these dolls have a complete body, and some have only a head.
Each doll's face is facing out of the window, at different angles, some looking at the sky, some looking at the ground, and some are watching the pedestrians on the street.
So when you look at them on the street, they may be watching you too...
If you look closely, the dolls' expressions are also different, some with wide eyes and some with closed eyes.
Due to the perennial display on the balcony, experiencing wind and sun and rain, most of the dolls have faded and moldy, stained with dust and stains.
Such a gray and dark tone, on the contrary, will pull the horror effect full...
So, who would rather sacrifice lighting than put so many dolls on the balcony for a long time?
Is it out of mischief mentality?
On site this 3-storey old small building is located in the middle of 12 Avenue in Este.
Etanis Gonzalez, a local visual artist, is the owner of the building.
First floor storefront sales,
Upstairs is his creative and exhibition space, the "Family Museum".
The balcony on the 3rd floor, which is full of dolls, is one of his main "works of art" and has existed for more than a decade.
Gonzalez has a truck driver friend who decorates the interior space with dolls.
It was with this inspiration that Gonzalez began to collect various dolls, carefully placing them on the balcony one by one.
It took him 3 years to finally fill the balcony with carefully selected dolls.
Gonzalez's son, Jonathan, is also a visual artist.
Jonathan explains that most of their works are made from recycled materials.
"We use garbage and we value recycling.
For some people it's just rubbish, while others can reuse it.
That's why most of the works in this house are made of scrap and garbage. ”
Perhaps as an artist, I want to use the "doll balcony" to convey the concept of environmental protection.
But from someone else's point of view, maybe it's a different feeling...
Eliander Gimenez, a resident of the area, points out that when he first saw the "doll's balcony", he was frightened.
"At first glance, I thought they were hanging real babies on the balcony, and I was scared.
Later, I realized that these were actually dolls on the balcony, which gave me a very strange feeling. ”
Some passers-by know of the existence of this "doll balcony" and dare not look up at the sky when they walk downstairs.
If it is at night, passers-by will even deliberately avoid this place and take a detour...
Neighbors have also protested, trying to collect signatures and ask the Gonzalez family to remove the dolls from the balcony.
However, in today's situation, these protests have not been successful.
However, some people expressed their appreciation for the "doll balcony".
Carolina Martinez, a sister, passes by every day to work.
She shared her feelings:
"I loved the balcony, although it was a bit scary, but in my opinion it showed us how polluted the city is.
Cars came and went, and the dolls were covered with dust.
When it rains, they shed black tears, as if conveying to the outside world the suffering they have experienced because of pollution. ”
In the face of criticism and complaints, artist Gonzalez disagreed.
In an interview, he insisted:
This is urban art, an artistic expression of individual freedom.
This "doll balcony" is already a part of his life.
He refused to remove the dolls.
Over the past decade, some people have been forced to get used to the existence of "doll balconies".
It has also become a special "landmark", attracting curious photographers and tourists to watch.
There is also a horror story circulating in the local area:
In this building lives a deformed, fat, hunchbacked old man who steals dolls late at night while the girls are sleeping.
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Gonzalez has temporarily closed its own family museum, refusing visits from strangers and restricting media interviews.
But to be sure,
This "doll balcony" will continue to be preserved...