Dodgy

»Give me liberty or give me death« is the motto of the 'Sandwichman', who represents all those who appear in Caldéron’s documentary. His video Dodgy relates the experiences of a migrant in London from his own perspective.

The journey to Bocas de Ceniza is the end of a migrant’s tale which began with the wish to emigrate to London, in order to learn English and escape from the lethargy of his homeland. Once in London, the artists comes in contact with the characteristics of English culture during his contacts with two different host families. Through the encounter with persons who, as migrants, share the same lot, and with humorous illustrations, the viewer is confronted with the everyday hardships which accompany life in a foreign country. Following a failed attempt to earn some money as a sandwich man, the artist finds a job delivering sandwiches. At the same time he takes up painting and founds a band – in the futile attempt to increase his income.

At one point of the story he ponders the meaning of the British word 'dodgy'. Here the artist lets the narrative and reflective threads meet. The amateurish quality of the images emphasises the blurred boundary between reality and fiction. What the word 'dodgy' means is conveyed by the atmosphere of this tale, which leaves open which of the two predominates, the documentary or the fictional. (Angela María Rodríguez Rojas)