Wall murals

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Art · Subcategory: Urban art · Year: 1994 · Authors: Manuel Padorno

Between July and August 1994, Manuel Padorno painted four murals on the walls of buildings overlooking the Paseo Las Canteras. These were called: Seagulls of Light, Sea Road, Tree of Light and Mid Day Moon (located between Playa Chica and calle Galileo).

The creation of the murals caused great impact in the 1990s and constituted the first experience of urban art on a large scale for the city. The intervention was carried out between 1993 and 1994, under then socialist mayor Emilio Mayoral, who raised European funds in order to embellish the Paseo de Las Canteras, which was undergoing refurbishment at the time. Locals were astonished at the sudden appearance of these murals and looked on as day after day the walls came alive with jellyfish, dolphins, seagulls, trees in light, mid day moons, star fish, all of these figures presided by their Atlantic backdrop. Fernando Álamo and José Antonio García Alvarez started the first phase of work in 1993, known as Canteras Viva-Atlántico Sonoro. The latter recalls how both of them were inspired by the work of poet Tomás Morales, and started filling the walls they came across with colours from hotel Meliá as far as Playa Chica. Then, between July and August 1994, Padorno took on the job of painting  another four walls between calle Martínez de Escobar and calle Olof Palme.

Few of the murals from that time survive today.

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