The project ‘La Valla’, promoted by the Cabildo de Fuerteventura, aims to turn the billboard located in front of the Juan Ismael Art Center into a hub for visual thinking and critical reflection. The initiative begins with the work ‘Home SVvEET Home’ by visual artist Alfons Simó.
The central artwork features a doormat in the colors of the Canary Islands flag, where the phrase ‘HOME SWEET HOME’ has been altered to ‘Home VvEET Home’, replacing ‘W’ with ‘Vv’, a symbol for vacation homes. This everyday object becomes a powerful metaphor for the archipelago's current situation.
The Minister of Culture, Rayco León, emphasized that the project's goal is to “cross the doors of the Juan Ismael Art Center and reach the street, aiming to stir consciences”. The initiative invites reflection on the Canary Islands we desire.
Alfons Simó explains that the idea is to “open the museum to the outside, generating a dialogue of conservation that can bring about change”. The doormat symbolizes the threshold between public and private space, proposing a reflection on hospitality, respect, territorial care, and the right to inhabit an archipelago with limited resources.
The artistic intervention, which avoids providing closed answers, initiates a conversation about coexistence and the balance between the Canary Islands' tradition of hospitality and the need to ensure a model that also cares for those living on the islands.
The outdoor installation is complemented by participatory activities within the Juan Ismael Art Center, including performances, collaborative mapping, citizen encounters, and the launch of Archipiélago Vivo, a platform to connect individuals, groups, and initiatives committed to territorial stewardship.
‘Home SVvEET Home’ is the first of four planned artistic interventions within ‘La Valla’, which will successively address contemporary challenges for Fuerteventura and the Canary Islands through various artistic languages.
