Inauguration of the First Edition of the Cabo de Gata Arts Festival

Sponsored by the Hotel Don Ignacio, the selected works will be exhibited both outside and inside the establishment, depending on the type of work and its artistic discipline.

The inauguration and opening to the public of the exhibition – which will run throughout the summer until 15 September – will take place on Thursday 7 July at 19:00.

The Don Ignacio Hotel, which opened its doors for the summer season on 24 June, is the organiser and venue for the first edition of the Cabo de Gata Art Festival. The establishment is managed by Gestión de Activos Turísticos, which thus adds another asset to its management portfolio in Andalusia, this time with the collaboration of the senior consultant and businessman based in Almeria and Malaga, Andrés de Lucas.

Sustainability and Art

The initiative came from the current management of the establishment (GAT, Gestión de Activos Turísticos) which with this action claims the value of the local, betting on a theme and a project that brings together environmental care and the defence of the idiosyncratic natural landscape of Cabo de Gata, with the avant-garde artistic manifestations that convert rubbish and harmful waste recovered from the sea or beaches, in works of art and original decorative motifs.

Sustainability and art go hand in hand to safeguard and enhance the attributes of a destination in which the wealth of biodiversity and the slowlife lifestyle are undoubtedly two of the main tourist attractions for a growing market that demands the experience of the authentic, the natural, the healthy and the intimate.

Fifty or so proposals

The organisers launched the competition at the beginning of May, publishing the rules and opening the registration period, which has had a great response from artists, mostly local, from Almeria, who have been joined by others from the rest of Spain, attracted by the originality of the proposal.

In record time, more than 50 entries were received and the organising committee, the exhibition curators and the jury had the arduous task of selecting the artists and works to be exhibited.

The curator, the artist Jana Álvarez (bio at the end of this article) and the jury made up of Estela Alcaraz (actress and radio and TV presenter from Almería with strong links to the area), Alfonso Merry del Val (www.merry.es), Emili Manrique (www.alfaro-manrique.com) and Emiliano Garayar (president of GAT), have selected a total of 13 artists who will exhibit their work in different and very diverse disciplines.

Outdoors we will see the work of:

María Martín Muñoz/ Mariah Li: Projection and installation.
Charles Bignon: Live Painting-street art
Patricia Esteban Rubio: Muralism / Urban art. Materials: Spray and mixed media

The interior will host the works of:

Monserrat Rodriguez and Manuela Nieto. Sculpture- Upcycling, artwork: Poseidonea
Litoris Pictor. Painting. Quadrioramas.
Charles Bignon, hamaka installation
Estefanía Sans Ávila. Group of amoebas
Rebeca Prieto Cano and Matteo Abbatino: Painting and sculpture with their work Morphogenesis Fe2o3
Ignacio Garcia: Painting-urban Street and his work Skate de pescado pixelado (Pixelated Fish Skate)
Cecilia Garcia- GIRALDA RODRIGUEZ: Painting and her work eblanquea
Joaquín Cano: Sculpture and his work indalo y el brujo.
Myriam Vela: Mixed media, photography and watercolour on wood and her work Micabo.
Dolores Lucas Flores: Ceramics.

In addition to all the participating artists and for the two areas mentioned above, the jury will select and decide on two winners respectively with a cash prize valued at €850 in each case. The announcement of the winners will be made during the opening event.

Preparations underway

The hotel is already immersed in the necessary preparations for the assembly, reception and placement of the works that will make up the exhibition.

Tourists, those staying at the hotel, and visitors who come to visit it, will be able to enjoy a unique experience this summer that transcends the sensory impact and invites deep reflection and shared responsibility.

The Don Ignacio Hotel (www.donignaciohotel.com) Instagram: @hoteldonignacio

Located in the heart of the Cabo de Gata-Nijar Natural Park, in the picturesque town of San José in the centre of the Paseo Marítimo and on the beachfront.

In our establishment you will be able to rest and relax in a unique atmosphere, enjoying with your family, your partner or your friends, with access to personalised services adapted to all types of clients in order to satisfy all their needs.