The Municipal “La Fuente” Art Centre is currently hosting perhaps one of the most special exhibitions held so far.
It features the wrought iron works by one of the most beloved characters in the municipality: Cristóbal, “the smith of Mojácar” who shares the hall with painter Anika “La Francesa”, and the floral art of Inmaculada.
Three artistic manifestations created with completely different materials, that range from the most solid such as iron, through to the adaptability of oil and acrylic and to the most subtle and delicate, as are flowers. They are united by beauty, their craftsmanship and the care that is expressed in their works and that, regardless of any consideration, it can be said that it is possible to dream of just expressing your feelings through any material.
Cristóbal “The Smith”, at his great age, 84, continues working the forge in a traditional way. It would not be wrong to say that there is no house in Mojácar that does not have some element that came from his forge: indalos, iron bars, anything that is made of iron is very likely to have passed through his hands.
The trade comes from the family, from those times when the smith was indispensable in the countryside, in shoeing horses, household tools and in many other things of daily life.
Today Cristóbal no longer works due to his age but he keeps the fire in his forge burning, creating works that he transforms into sculptures with objects from the mythical 1960s Mojácar and that take on new life, at the same time as taking you back to that time. Although he knows how to transform into art, with great precision and originality, everything that comes into his hands.
Annick Lagarrigue, Milacku, as an artistic name, and Anika “the Frenchwoman”, as it states on the exhibition poster and as known in Mojácar, lived in the Canary Islands for 37 years. She has lived in Mojácar for a year and a half and with her paintings, mostly acrylics, masterfully using the palette knife, she wanted to join in with this small tribute to Cristóbal.
The paintings she presents in this exhibition have been created inspired by the work of the Mojácar smith, Cristóbal, as the artist explains: “from his sculptures made with objects that are more than 50 years old, an exclusive and inspiring work that has marked my palette knife for this show.”
The counterpoint is provided by the beauty of floral art, the essence of nature gathered in her work as a designer, where flowers are her main subject. Natural flowers or masterfully included in her compositions.
She has been living in the area for a short while, surrounded by nature, from where she gets much of the inspiration for her compositions that encompass a great number of possibilities. From the decoration of an event, a wedding to the decoration of a home, clothing, fashion accessories or whatever the client proposes.
Her work, as well as being admired in this exhibition at the Mojácar Municipal Art Centre, can also be admired on Facebook, on her page “Esencia de Imna”, where you can also get in contact with her.
Visits to this moving exhibition is free and it can be visited from Monday to Sunday, from 10am to 2pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays also from 5-8 pm.
