Dérive

Francisco Goya was born on this day in 1746. The Spanish artist painted some of his most well-known pieces - collectively know as the Black Paintings of 1819–1823 - on the walls of his house, creating an interior that might have looked something like the image below. In total, fourteen paintings would come to adorn the walls of Goya's house, known as the Quinta del Sordo (Villa of the Deaf). Goya began the first painting in 1820, when he was 73 years old and suffering from numerous maladies. The pieces were not meant for public view: "I painted them for myself", said the artist . When all of the pieces were complete, did the artist take a step back to obsorb his creations as a whole? Imagine what it must have been like to live in this house! Imagine taking dinner next to El Gran Cabrón/Aquelarre (Witches Sabath) or sleeping beneath S aturno devorando a su hijo (Satun Devouring His Sons).

This is the place where the exit door is always locked. There are many sleeping rooms, a large day room, several activity rooms, and a deck with a basketball hoop and several potted plants. You'll be assigned a roommate and given one of the two beds. If deemed necessary, you'll be placed in your own room and watched by a security camera in the corner. The restroom is private, but there are a maximum five minutes for using the toilet and ten minutes for taking a shower. You won't alone in this place; there will be others your age. You'll see yourself in some of them, but only in a few. Two of them tried to die - at least, that's the story passed along in whispers. One will have a horizontal scar across his neck. He's always followed by a cop because, as the rumor goes, he's bound for jail when this is all over. The other will have several small vertical scars on his wrists and forearms. One day, he comes to class with long strips of cardboard taped to...