In Memory of Olivia and Anna

Santa Cruz de Tenerife · Category: Art · Subcategory: Sculpture · Year: 2022 · Authors: Julio Nieto

On 18 October 2022, this sculpture by artist Julio Nieto was installed near Plaza de España in memory of the girls Olivia and Anna, victims of vicarious violence.

The girls Anna and Olivia, two sisters aged one and six respectively, were kidnapped in Santa Cruz de Tenerife by their father on the night of 27 April 2021, when they were supposed to have been handed over to their mother. They were allegedly murdered that same afternoon by their father and transported, already deceased, to a boat from where they were thrown overboard into the open sea. The boat was found the next morning empty, adrift and without an anchor. After 45 days of searching, on 10 June 2021, two weighted bags with an anchor were found at a depth of one thousand metres on the seabed and three miles from the coast; one contained the remains of Olivia, the older girl, and the other was open and empty. Anna and her father were not found. The tragedy shocked the entire world and especially the society of Tenerife.

The sculptural tribute remembering the girls is made of bronze and depicts them life-size, barefoot, holding hands, smiling and looking into each other’s eyes, conveying joy, innocence and sweetness. Of delicate craftsmanship and rich in nuances, the work has a classic patina finish with ochres and golds.

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