Photos: Sergio Betancort
The official reopening ceremony of the Arrecife House of Culture is postponed until next Thursday, September 21. "Last-minute technical details force the cancellation of the event scheduled for this Friday in the José Ramírez Cerdá Park," they stated from the City Council. The PP had denounced hours before that the infrastructure "does not have all the legal procedures for its opening." And they asked the mayor "to comply with the law and not inaugurate today a public space that does not have all the legal approvals," warning that, if she did, they would demand "responsibilities" from her and the Councilor for Culture "for not complying with the law."
The mayor of Arrecife, Eva de Anta, has apologized for the inconvenience caused. She has also stated that "despite the political cost and the criticism that may come to us for the decision to postpone the opening of the Agustín de La Hoz House of Culture by a week, I must reaffirm my commitment that never under my mandate will the city council or the city again witness legal or security questioning derived from our actions." The doors of the Arrecife House of Culture will therefore open in a week.
Programming and objectives
On the other hand, the first mayor presented this Thursday morning, together with the Councilor for Culture, Rafael Juan González, to the media, the programming and objectives with which a new stage will begin in the life of a building that, after twelve years closed, will be reborn as the flagship of the capital.
A space for the arts, culture, and thought, and a point of reflection open to all citizens, which aims to be a cultural reference for the city and the Island of Lanzarote.
Eva de Anta dedicated her words to thank the work of her predecessors in office, "all of them equally responsible for the fact that, finally, this reopening of the Agustín de la Hoz House of Culture is a reality."
"I also do not want to forget the team of the Department, without whose affection for the project and commitment to public and quality culture we would not be here today. Humberto, Miguel, Nuria, Jackie, Zaida, Félix... I hope that every time they pass before this door or cross its lintel they feel proud of their contribution," she added.
For his part, Rafael Juan González, stressed that "we are once again putting at the service of all citizens a living and active space that will house all artistic disciplines, as well as a space for the study, protection, and dissemination of our heritage. I want the neighbor to enter and feel that this house is their house."
Also, according to the councilor, "we have made an important commitment to a unique program that I hope you like."
Thus, there will be two interesting novelties; the first of them, the room dedicated to César Manrique, with his first recently restored murals and with paintings by the artist, and, secondly, a large exhibition on Canarian authors of the 20th century, with works by 25 artists such as Manrique, Ildefonso Aguilar, Juan Gopar, Andrés Solana, or Miguel Panadero. An exhibition that is entitled "From the landscape: Visions of Contemporary Art in the Canary Islands" and that is divided into four rooms.
The House also houses a room dedicated to the Lanzarote Biennial, ArteLanzarote 2017, focused on the work of Agustín Espinosa "Lanzarote 28º-7º".
The capital's head of Culture wanted to emphasize the collaboration of six Canarian artists linked to the island of Lanzarote who have ceded their works and pointed out that "in its new stage, the interior walls of the House of Culture will be decorated with paintings by Rufina Santana, Santiago Alemán, Nuria Messeguer, Juan Bonilla, Ildefonso Aguilar (present at the meeting with the media) and Luis Villalba, to whom I extend my gratitude," he stressed.
The councilor also thanked the artist Nino Díaz and the curator of the exhibition on Canarian authors of the 20th century, Ángeles Alemán, for their participation in the project and their presence in the room. The latter was in charge of guiding the media through a visit to the different rooms that make up the House.
Likewise, Rafael Juan González highlighted the work carried out over the last two years by the Culture technician Jacqueline Hernández so that the project can finally see the light.
The building, which is completely restored, consists of 12 spaces open to the public: 3 exhibition halls, meeting room, audiovisual room, 2 multipurpose rooms, César Manrique room (with 2 frescoes by the artist from 1947, restored by Giovanni Bruno), library, covered central patio, with a grand piano and folding screen for projections, uncovered back patio with a sculpture by Leopoldo Emperador ("Woman carrying a minimalist object") and the cultural and tourist information point.
As for the activities, the Arrecife House of Culture aims to offer citizens and visitors a wide and varied program of excellence that will consist of exhibitions, music, dance, literature, and a wide range of conferences and workshops.
