Walking and paying a visit to the cenachero.

Walks can often be unpredictable, and I think that’s what makes them , they allow us to be surprised, to learn, to marvel and to savour every little moment as something unique, which, in fact, it is.

It was a walk that began without any particular expectations; I was mainly keen to find out if there was a temporary exhibition on at the Customs Museum, but at reception I was told there wouldn’t be anything new until October. However, the museum guard then told me about something rather unusual on display on the first floor, which is dedicated to the Fine Arts Museum.

I was with my friend, and we went to find out what it was all about, asking the receptionist again, who, by the way, was very friendly, and she explained that the sculptor and original creator, now very elderly, of an iconic figure for the city such as the ‘cenachero’, had created a huge plaster sculpture which was on display in a private room within the fine arts section. Naturally, we wanted to go and see this brilliant sculpture.

We followed the directions, but first we passed through some lovely corridors decorated with drawings of lighthouses and fish. This is part of the Saludarte programme, known in this instance as ‘Rumbos’, which features works created by people attending FAISEM workshops.

It is a collective composition made up of individually created lighthouses, supported by a school of tuna created collectively. The technique used is faux engraving and watercolours. The lighthouse symbolises the universal search for a path or course towards the harbour, whilst the tuna symbolise the strength of collective labour. I love that I can always find out the details of what each exhibition represents, either within the museum itself or from the guides.

But it wasn’t just these drawings on the museum walls; there was also a display of beautifully coloured fish in one of the most stunning rooms in the building. There are always spectacular displays.

We spent a while admiring the centre of the room, looking up at the ceiling, where various tourist spots to visit in the region are displayed, all of them wonderful. One day, I’d love to visit the Nerja caves. I’ve been to the town, but only for work.

As I mentioned, this sculpture exhibition was in a small room within the Museum of Fine Arts, and we had a brief look around this magnificent place before arriving at the Cenachero.

It had been so long since I’d last visited this museum, and it brought back so many memories; I actually consider the Customs Museum to be one of the best, as it has a floor dedicated to archaeology, another to the arts, and a third used as a storeroom for the restoration of historical artefacts. It may not be one of the most well-known museums, but it’s fabulous and there are always temporary exhibitions.

So, looking at the paintings I’d seen so long ago, and the sculptures, also made me relive walks with my uncles, enjoying so much fine art, such quality and so much history. As the receptionist rightly told me, you can always spot something new that you’d overlooked before, and she was right.

Upon entering the gallery, which was very elegantly laid out, I realised there was a great deal of information about this sculpture and its creator. Unfortunately, it was only in Spanish, but I’ll tell you a bit about what was mentioned there. In 1964, the city incorporated into its urban landscape a work that became one of its most recognisable landmarks: the ‘cenachero’. It was cast in bronze and placed in the Plaza de la Marina. It was a time when the city was opening up to modernity and welcoming large numbers of tourists.

The ‘cenachero’ became a symbol of the city of Málaga. This sculpture was created using real-life models, artistic references and the artist’s personal memories, thus establishing its own distinctive iconography of the ‘cenachero’. Piementel is the most prominent artist in Málaga’s public sculpture scene, having received several awards.

This artist is noted for his intimate realism and gestural expressiveness in his drawings and sculptures. He mastered the medium of bronze and, from the 1960s onwards, began his prolific career in public sculpture.

The artist himself, in a video shown on a screen, said: ‘A “cenachero” is a fisherman who carries “cenachos”. “Cenachos” are baskets made not of wicker but of esparto grass. Back then, there were experts who wove them.’
This reminded me of a post I wrote about one of the native plants of the area.

Jaime Pimentel’s ‘Cenachero’ was unveiled in 1964 and encapsulates the tradition, memory and artistic sensibility of Málaga. Everything surrounding the sculpture was typical of the era, and I loved that there was so much post-war information and illustrations, as well as paintings depicting the cenachero.

This artistic walk taught me a great deal, and I learnt a little more about this city that I love.

Thank you very much for joining me today on this Wednesday walk; warm regards to you all. See you soon.
Amonet.

All photographs are my own.