In 2008 it emerged as the cultural commitment of Guía de Isora to reinforce its activity on the street during these days of the year. Fifteen years and thirteen editions later (with a pandemic in between), this exhibition of floral and contemporary art is part of the journey to be carried out during Holy Week in Tenerife. Interest in this way of understanding the passion, death and resurrection of Christ grows over time, inside and outside.
The Pascua Florida de Guía de Isora is an exhibition that combines floral and contemporary street art. In this easter week It has 22 installations that represent the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. The flower intervenes “as a common thread”, but diverse vegetable matter is used (branches, trees, wood…) and is valued as a unique example of its kind in the country. Its peculiarities put Guía de Isora on the Holy Week route in Tenerife.
With Carlos Curbelo as artistic director of Easter, “Arouses the interest of prominent artists from the Canary Islands and from the national territory” who join this meeting of art and religion as guests. This year the florists Juan Chamorro and José Martín González, from Oviedo; María del Carmen Barreña Moreno and Juan Bautista Bosch Blasco, from Valencia; Jordi Abelló Roig, from Barcelona; Maximina Ángela Batista Hernández, María Cristina de León, María Teresa Henríquez Arbelo and Montse Domínguez, from Tenerife; and the plastic artists Luigi Stinga and Sema Castro, residents of the Canary Islands; in addition to the Fernando Estévez Higher Art School of Design, the La Orotava Association of Carpet Makers, as well as Carlos Curbelo himself and a group of volunteers from Guía de Isora.
Facility
The placement of these works begins at dawn on Holy Thursday in the streets of the Isoran historic center. Specifically, “in those places that each author chooses”, and in the square of the church of Nuestra Señora de la Luz. Neighbors and visitors tour that environment until Sunday, at which time the work for Easter 2024 will begin. “A colleague from Barcelona already warned me that he saw a wall that seems very interesting to him by then,” explains Curbelo by way of example of the involvement of floral artists who collaborate in this initiative.
Origin
Easter “complements” the religious activity of the dates. “The moment of the visit that coincides with the passage of a procession is very interesting”, that moment of the fusion of both samples of religious art in an event “unique in Spain”. An initiative of which its artistic director is very proud and which is now in its thirteenth edition. «It arose in 2008, the result of the need to do something on the street to incorporate the cultural scene that defines Guía de Isora and enhance that activity, something that has been achieved». It was created to offer an artistic addition to a tradition as deep-rooted as the Easter Week parades in an idyllic setting such as the Isoran historic quarter, with facades that preserve the architectural style of the last three centuries and pedestrian alleys impregnated with the smell of tradition and custom. To the point that the interest in participating and working on Easter exists both here and on the Peninsula. This idea comes from the Department of Culture in the period that Josefa Mesa managed it, today mayor of Guía de Isora.
ecotourism product
This exhibition is the result of the effort not only of those who work in the workshop to make the 22 installations in this edition (Carlos Curbelo contributes nine), but “of volunteers and neighbors who are involved and who are becoming more and more”. All of them make Guía de Isora’s Easter a unique, singular and representative gathering. “For me it is a satisfaction that the Isoranos have made it theirs,” says the artistic director. This is evidenced by its choice as the ecotourism product of the municipality. In popular vote, it received 4,620 points against the Fuegos de Alcalá (3,750) and the Ruta del Agua (3,355). This makes this event the microproduct to be promoted within the framework of the Interreg MAC program of the European Union, through the ECO-TUR2 project.
cultural program
But Easter Florida is not only this. In parallel, it develops a cultural program of music, opera and dance. Yesterday it opened with a contemporary dance piece by Teresa Lorenzo, inspired by the encounter of Mary Magdalene with the risen Jesus, and today it will continue with the monologue The three versions of Judaswith Juan Carlos Tacoronte, and the show Easter Florida. From the shadows to the light, which will represent Burka Theater. Tomorrow the Virgen de la Luz Music Band and the wind, brass and percussion band La Clave will perform. In addition, until the 28th (4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.), you can visit the Sema Castro exhibition Anthologyin the Cultural Center of the urban area of Guía de Isora.
All this is complemented today with the VII Pascua Florida Photographic Marathon, free to register and which can be attended by amateurs or professionals with digital cameras. The prizes are 300, 200 and 100 euros plus a supporting diploma. The three photos with which you can compete will be taken today, between 9:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. or from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. The delivery must be made at the Department of Culture, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Facades, nooks and corners of the streets of the historic center are filled with plants, flowers and natural textures that are mixed with the elements of the religious celebration. Nature in the street, floral art and devotion make Easter one of the most brilliant acts of Holy Week in Tenerife.
