Starting this Saturday, the House of Culture in Guía will host four exhibitions as part of the Francis Naranjo Foundation Project. This artistic initiative includes solo shows by Cristina Déniz, Luis Montes Rojas, and Abrahám Riverón, as well as the collective exhibition titled Hilos Fundacionales (Foundational Threads), curated by Francis Naranjo. The project aims to offer a reflective journey through identity, memory, history, and contemporary forms of artistic creation.
The presentation of these exhibitions took place on Thursday in Guía de Gran Canaria, with the participation of the mayor, Alfredo Gonçalves Ferreira; the Councilor for Culture, Julián Melián; the president of the Francis Naranjo Foundation, Francis Naranjo; the foundation's director and curator of three of the exhibitions, Eduardo Caballero; and the Chilean artist and vice-dean of the University of Chile, Luis Montes Rojas.
Julián Melián highlighted the value of the exhibitions as spaces for reflection on the contemporary world through art, addressing aspects such as memory, history, and the narratives that shape collective identity. Cristina Déniz's work examines everyday elements historically used as instruments of power. Luis Montes Rojas analyzes monumentality as a tool for propaganda, while Abrahám Riverón offers an intimate look at the Canary Islands, focusing on identity and cultural homogenization.
The collective exhibition Hilos Fundacionales, curated by Francis Naranjo, will be displayed in the Sala Luján Pérez. This show explores textiles from an ancestral and anthropological perspective, going beyond their artisanal or aesthetic dimensions, and brings together pieces of contemporary art, indigenous art, and folk art.
Francis Naranjo expressed his gratitude to the Guía de Gran Canaria City Council and the Department of Culture for their institutional support. He emphasized the international character of the initiative, developed alongside Eduardo Caballero, and the participation of creators from diverse territories and cultural backgrounds.
Eduardo Caballero, director of the Francis Naranjo Foundation, stressed the collaboration between artists, institutions, and cultural agents that has enabled the development of this program. Caballero pointed out the importance of creating spaces for dialogue and critical thinking through exhibition projects that offer the public different perspectives on contemporary reality.
Artist Luis Montes Rojas valued the opportunity to present his work in Santa María de Guía and to be part of a program focused on the historical, political, and social processes that influence the shaping of current societies.
Mayor Alfredo Gonçalves Ferreira closed the event, advocating for the continuation of cultural initiatives that strengthen the municipality's presence in the Canary Islands' artistic landscape. The exhibitions will be available at the House of Culture in Guía, inviting the public on a journey through memory, identity, colonial processes, archives, territory, and contemporary artistic practices.
