José María Román opened this exhibition by artists from Chiclana to mark the 150th anniversary of the town’s designation as a city; it will be on view at the museum through August 2
The mayor of Chiclana, José María Román, has opened the exhibition “Chiclana Dibujada,” featuring the artists José Luis Díaz de la Torre and Antoni Gabarri, which can be visited through August 2 at the Chiclana Museum. Thus, “Chiclana Dibujada” brings back some interesting works of art that were widely circulated in their day—and which, thanks to that circulation, also helped promote our city—but which are now difficult to find on the market.
Thus, the exhibition features six prints of Chiclana created in the late 1980s by José Luis Díaz de la Torre and six “Pen-and-Ink Drawings of Chiclana” by Antoni Gabarre, as well as a series of pen-and-ink drawings by the same artist titled “Traditional Aspects of Chiclana,” which go beyond strictly landscape depictions to take on a certain ethnographic dimension.
uided by these two artists, our eyes will wander—through their shared perspective—to corners of our city and our memories. Iconic images that define our city and give it its identity, such as the Santa Ana Chapel or the Arquillo del Reloj. Also, hidden corners you don’t come across while strolling through our streets, such as the interior of the Conde del Pinar mansion (a building that now houses the CEIP Alameda) or an Alameda del Río that was new when the drawing was made and is no longer the same today following its recent transformation.
Behind these prints lies the mastery of Díaz de la Torre—whose excellence in drawing is universally recognized—and the desk work of Gabarre, whom we generally associate with other dimensions and techniques, as evidenced by his extensive career as a muralist.
“Chiclana Dibujada offers a glimpse back in time through illustrations by José Luis and Toni—each in their own style—depicting various iconic buildings and landscapes of the city,” said the mayor, who thanked the two Chiclana-based artists for “their commitment to making Chiclana more beautiful and attractive.” “Coming to see this exhibition means enjoying the prints they created and reminiscing about Chiclana as it was three or four decades ago,” he added.
For her part, Susana Rivas thanked the artists “for the exhibition they’re presenting these days at the Museum, coinciding with the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Chiclana’s designation as a city.” “This way, we can see what Chiclana was like in another era of the city’s recent history and appreciate the changes it has undergone in recent years,” she emphasized.
Likewise, José Luis Díaz de la Torre thanked the Chiclana Museum “for the opportunity to exhibit this work on the city’s history.” “Antoni and I enjoyed creating these drawings, which now fit together very well in this exhibition,” he remarked.
Finally, Antoni Gabarre expressed his gratitude for “having the opportunity to ensure that Chiclana doesn’t lose that little bit of our quiet contribution from years ago.” “My daughter Mar appeared between the first set of prints and the second, which is also reflected in the work,” he noted.
It is worth noting that a few years ago, the Chiclana Museum set out to acquire these prints—20 drawings in total—in order to preserve them and share them with visitors. And now, as part of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Chiclana’s designation as a city, they have been brought to light once again.
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