Last Saturday, Bòbila Aguilera attended the talk “Brickmaking Activity in El Papiol”, where four former brickmakers from the town — former owners of old local brickyards — shared their beginnings in this traditional craft and explained how the town’s history was closely linked to the economic activity of the brickyards and clay.
The speakers shared their career paths, the difficulties they faced at the beginning, the success experienced during the golden age of brickmaking, and the evolution they witnessed over the years — from craftsmanship to the mechanisation of the trade.
During the talk, there were many emotional moments as memories of so much shared history resurfaced, and it was impossible not to address with sadness a very current topic: the brickmaking crisis, which has forced so many brickyards to close their doors forever in recent years.
But without a doubt, one of the highlights of the talk came when, while discussing this subject, Josep Aguilera stood up from his chair and exclaimed, “Well, I see a lot of pessimism here, but at Bòbila Aguilera we’re still standing, damn it!” — a remark that made everyone in the room rise to applaud, in recognition of our work, our years of craftsmanship, our perseverance, and our will to continue keeping alive in the future an activity as ancient as it is beautiful.
Sí, és cert que l’artesania i el món del totxo ha viscut anys difícils, però Bòbila Aguilera ha sabut resistir els cops a base de feina ben feta i de no perdre mai la seva essència purament artesana, segell de qualitat de la casa. Arriben nous aires optimistes que obren les portes a una renaixença de l’artesania i a un saber valorar allò fet a mà i fet a casa nostra, tal i com passa en d’altres camps com l’agricultura (agricultura ecològica) o el consum de productes de proximitat. I nosaltres des de Bòbila Aguilera, els hi donem la benvinguda!Yes, it’s true that craftsmanship and the world of brickmaking have gone through difficult times, but Bòbila Aguilera has managed to withstand the blows through well-done work and by never losing its purely artisanal essence — the hallmark of our house. New optimistic winds are blowing, opening the door to a revival of craftsmanship and a renewed appreciation for what is handmade and locally produced, just as we see in other fields such as agriculture (organic farming) or the consumption of local products.
And we at Bòbila Aguilera welcome them with open arms!
Yes, it’s true that craftsmanship and the world of brickmaking have gone through difficult times, but Bòbila Aguilera has managed to withstand the blows through well-done work and by never losing its purely artisanal essence — the hallmark of our house. New optimistic winds are blowing, opening the door to a revival of craftsmanship and a renewed appreciation for what is handmade and locally produced, just as we see in other fields such as agriculture (organic farming) or the consumption of local products.
And we at Bòbila Aguilera welcome them with open arms!
