The Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Festivities of the Arrecife City Council, Echedey Eugenio, has announced that the citizens will have the last word in the election of the sculpture in homage to the port Carnival; an initiative promoted by the Councilor for Culture, Abigail González.
After learning this Monday what the four artistic proposals are, designed by the prominent Lanzarote sculptor Rigoberto Camacho, Eugenio announces that the sketches will be exhibited in the Agramar Fairgrounds during the next festivities (from February 21 to March 5), allowing residents to vote for their favorite.
By scanning a QR code that will be printed on each of the models, interested people will have access to a video in which the artist himself will explain what elements have inspired him when creating his creation, and will be directed to the City Council's website where, through a survey, they will be able to vote for the alternative that they liked the most.
The Deputy Mayor has highlighted "the quality and creativity of the proposals, which combine identifying elements of the Carnival, such as the feathers of the troupes, the drums of the batucadas and the masks of the popular carnival, integrating them into a unique work that also incorporates references to the landscape of Lanzarote".
"We want this sculpture to be a reflection of the feeling and carnival spirit of the entire island, a tribute not only to the groups that give life to the Carnival, but to all the citizens who experience it intensely year after year. For this reason, it is essential that the people of Lanzarote themselves choose the work that represents them the most. And I say people of Lanzarote, because the Arrecife Carnival is the carnival of the entire island," says Echedey Eugenio.
For her part, the Councilor for Culture, Abigail González, recalled that "this is a project that we started during the pandemic with the aim of paying tribute to one of our most significant cultural identity signs. The culture of Carnival is part of our essence and is something that we must not lose".
Likewise, the councilor has stressed that "the location of the sketches in the Fairgrounds will offer a unique opportunity for all interested people to learn about the work of Rigoberto Camacho, whose works have been internationally recognized in art fairs and exhibitions".
The Deputy Mayor and the capital's Head of Culture encourage participation and invite the entire population to come to the Fairgrounds, enjoy the proposals and vote for the one they consider most representative of the port Carnival. "We want this sculpture to be the result of a collective decision, just as the election of the allegory of this year's festivities has been," they point out.
Once the holidays are over, the most voted proposal will be announced, and the process of creating a work in recycled aluminum will begin, which will be five meters high, including a reinforced concrete base.
When it is finished, the sculpture will be located in an emblematic space in Arrecife yet to be defined, where it will become a symbol of cultural identity for the city.
About the artist
Rigoberto Camacho, a native of Lanzarote, has a distinguished career in the field of contemporary sculpture. A graduate in Fine Arts and with a Master's Degree in Art and Creation Research from the Complutense University of Madrid, he is currently pursuing his doctorate while combining his artistic work with teaching at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the same university.
His awards include prizes such as the Ayllón Sculpture Prize and international scholarships, in addition to having participated in public projects such as Elegua and La Levantada in Lanzarote.
