Alexander Carballo, a renowned graffiti artist from Puerto de la Cruz, is adding the finishing touches to the largest mural in support of the Palestinian people amidst the Israeli assaults being advocated and supported in the Canary Islands. This creation is located on Blas Pérez Avenue, on one of the walls of the Manolo Sanatella sports centre, not far from Playa Jardín. As Alex himself highlights, it is a “collective” project that has been proposed to the local council almost since the escalation of conflict in Palestine began last October and has finally come to fruition since the Tuesday of the previous week. Using the colours of the Palestinian flag (white, red, green, and black), the artist has crafted a remarkable rendition of Picasso’s Guernica, whereby enthusiastic supporters have added their handprints in those colours to the two white sides, resembling prehistoric cave paintings.
The initiative has received backing from the Portuense City Council throughout its two stages during this term and, in particular, from the Citizen Participation department, “to enhance collaboration and engage the public in shared spaces.” The principal section of the mural stretches 8 metres in length and 3 metres high, inspired by Picasso’s iconic painting depicting the devastation, in April 1937, of the Basque town of Guernica by Nazi bombers during the Spanish Civil War, in support of the coup d’état against the Second Republic.
The aim of the initiative is to raise awareness regarding the plight of the Palestinian people due to Israeli bombardments in Gaza and other regions, while also fostering solidarity and peacemaking values. It is backed by the Tenerife Movement of Solidarity with the Sahrawi People (BDS).
As Alex notes, only last Wednesday around 50 individuals engaged in the creation of the mural, including numerous locals and tourists of various ages who left their mark, either due to prior knowledge of the project or upon noticing the scaffolding and the ongoing work. He also emphasizes the participation of “comrades and companions from diverse groups, children, and passers-by, alongside migrants and individuals from various nations (Morocco, Senegal, Germany, Colombia, Uruguay, the Canary Islands, and other areas of Spain…).
According to the local mayor, David Hernández, it is vital to “raise awareness and display support for a people enduring genocide at the hands of Israel, with thousands of innocent lives lost, including children, amidst a violent conflict; “Puerto de la Cruz is a compassionate community that has consistently demonstrated its sensitivity to just causes like this.”
