A private collection of the artist Jesús Soto Morales (1929-2003) will be exhibited in a special section of the Farmer's Monument. Soto was named Adopted Son of Lanzarote and designated by the Cabildo as "Artistic Master" in the 60s.
This collection consists of a private documentary archive and some works owned by the heirs and family of Soto, which have been freely given to the Cabildo for its use and public exhibition, through an agreement. The president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, Pedro San Ginés, and the daughter and representative of the universal heirs of the artist, Emma Soto, signed the agreement last week so that this private collection "of high documentary, artistic and emotional value" will be permanently exhibited in a room of the Farmer's Monument.
"Admired by the people of Lanzarote and in turn unknown by a large part of the public and tourists who visit us, the figure and name of Soto must occupy the place it deserves. And this permanent exhibition, with a small sample of his work, is one of the best ways and a new opportunity that we from the Cabildo of Lanzarote have to thank him and return a thousandth of what he did for this land," said San Ginés.
In this sense, he stated that "thanks to the generosity of the family of Jesús Soto Morales, once again the population of the island will be able to know an important part of the artist's work and figure, as well as make it known among those who visit us."
The Cabildo of Lanzarote and the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism hope to open this space to the public during this 2013. The collection will be guarded by the first Island Corporation, which will also take care of the maintenance of the work and documentary archive while it is exhibited in this Tourist Center.
The artist and his works in the Centers
Jesús Soto Morales was born in Fuerteventura in 1929, although he moved very young to the island of Lanzarote to take charge of the adaptation and lighting and atmosphere works of the first Tourist Center of the island, La Cueva de Los Verdes, inaugurated in 1964.
A year later, on April 30, 1965, he was hired by the Cabildo to take the technical and artistic direction of this space and that of Jameos del Agua. In 1967 he already appeared as an official and Artistic Master of the Island Government.
His trajectory and close link to that of the international and renowned artist César Manrique, as a direct collaborator in the creation of the Tourist Centers, as well as his contribution to the development of Lanzarote, made him be distinguished as Adopted Son of Lanzarote in 2002, a year before his death. Among his most outstanding creations is La Cueva de Los Verdes or the route of the Volcanoes of Timanfaya.