The César Manrique Foundation (FCM) is bidding farewell to the exhibition Lanzarote. Unseen [in] Architecture this Friday, January 16th, with wine and ambient music by Checha Tambo Dj. The exhibition was inaugurated in November 2024 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the eponymous book, created by César Manrique in 1974, and had to extend its dates until last Sunday, January 11th —when it was finally closed— due to public demand.
The event will begin at 7:00 PM in the Taro room and the gardens of the Institution's headquarters, in Taro de Tahíche. Admission is free and open to the public, with no prior reservation required, and the exhibition will be open for three hours for attendees of the farewell event.
The exhibition, of a documentary nature, is curated and designed by the director of the FCM, Fernando Gómez Aguilera, and produced and organized by the Institution. It features 111 photographic reproductions from the publication, three recreations of symbolic architectural elements of the island such as a dovecote, a kiln, and the wall of an old house, seven original drawings by César Manrique, eight previously unpublished photographs, and eleven original pieces of traditional architecture (from the artist's personal archive), nineteen text excerpts from the book accompanying the images, documents such as letters, newspaper articles, and objects related to the creation of the book, among other content.
During the 13 months it has been on display at the FCM headquarters, the exhibition has been visited by more than 150,000 people. Additionally, a program of visits was established through the FCM's Pedagogical Department—coordinated with the senior citizen departments of the various municipalities of Lanzarote—which was attended by 750 residents from the seven island municipalities.
Also holding a special place in the celebration of this fiftieth anniversary is the reprint of the book *Lanzarote. Arquitectura inédita*, published by the Institution's Publications Service, reproducing the first edition from 1974. To emphasize its commemorative nature, it has been accompanied by a special box and a belly band featuring a drawing by César Manrique. Since its launch in November 2024, the publication has been reprinted two more times, in March 2025 and October 2025, due to public demand.
*Lanzarote. Arquitectura inédita* represents one of César Manrique's most significant contributions. Among other things, it marked an extraordinary milestone in the process of shaping Lanzarote's new landscapes that emerged in the context of the tourism industry. It also had consequences for urban planning practices and regulations that ultimately shaped Lanzarote's current identity. Rarely has a book had such a material and symbolic influence on the life of a community.
