The sculptures of Cristóbal Gabarrón and his message of "peaceful coexistence" will be in Benidorm until the end of January

The monumental sculptures by the artist Cristóbal Gabarrón that make up the exhibition 'The Towers of the Alhambra' will be in Benidorm until the end of next January, placing their "message of peaceful coexistence" at street level, which "identifies very well what this city is and this destiny”, as the mayor, Toni Pérez, pointed out today during the presentation of the exhibition. A presentation that has had the presence of the artist and in which the Councilor for Historical and Cultural Heritage, Ana Pellicer, has also participated; Miriam Atienza, content director of the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències; and Cristóbal Gabarrón Jr., responsible for the foundations linked to the painter and sculptor.

'The Towers of the Alhambra' is made up of 16 large-format colourful polychrome fiberglass sculptures, which are located in the Plaza de la Hispanidad, Calle Gambo and Avenida del Mediterráneo and were conceived to be exhibited at street level, integrating itself into the environment, seeking closeness with the viewer. Before arriving in Benidorm, this travelling exhibition, which comes from the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciéncies, has previously stopped in Hong Kong, Gdansk, Lisbon or Miami.

Toni Pérez has assured that having this exhibition is "a luxury and an honour" for Benidorm; and has underlined that this exhibition, together with the rest of those that are now exhibited in the city, "is generating a cultural circuit of urban and public art of the highest level, to the delight of the citizens, those who reside here and those who visit us".

The mayor has highlighted "the synergy" that has been established between the Department of Historical Heritage and the Ciutat de les Artes i les Ciències and that is the result of the interest of both parties to "bring art to the street, making it public and for all the world". A philosophy, he added, that fits perfectly with Cristóbal Gabarrón's conception of art, in the same way that the message of peaceful coexistence that the exhibition cries out for fits with Benidorm, which encompasses "hundreds of different origins, each with its own ” who find in the city “a space for coexistence”. “If something motivates peaceful coexistence, it is to see the world and for that there is tourism”, he stressed.

Regarding 'Towers of the Alhambra', the artist has explained that "it took four years to make" due to the technical complexity that each piece entails, and has detailed that it was born as a song "to the coexistence and agreement of the three cultures" that during For a long time they coincided peacefully in Granada as in other parts of the Peninsula.

Cristóbal Gabarrón has applauded "the interest in culture" shown by Benidorm and has described as "a total success" the commitment to make the city "a great open-air museum", and "to incorporate art" into public space " as one more element of quality and coexistence”, in the style of what “great tourist cities” have done on the planet.

The artist, who lived in Benidorm for a long time decades ago, has stated that the reunion with the city has been a "very emotional"; sensation with which his son has coincided. For her part, the content director of the Ciutat de Les Arts i les Ciències has advanced that "the collaboration" with Benidorm City Council "will continue" and, like Cristóbal Gabarrón, has highlighted the relevance of public art and its role when it comes to awakening “interest” in culture and making the city “a more pleasant space”.