Santa Cruz de Tenerife 7 Mar. (Europa Press) –
The Government of the Canary Islands is promoting and showcasing the talent of the illustrators hailing from the archipelago with an exhibition at the presidency offices in Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
This exhibition was inaugurated on Thursday by the Deputy Minister of the Presidency, Alfonso Cabello, alongside the Minister for Equality of the Canarian Government, Candelaria Delgado, who were joined by Francisco Pomares, the president of Cine+Comics, along with a contingent of artists.
During the event, Cabello underscored the necessity of progressing towards equality in every domain, as a fundamental requirement for establishing a more just and democratic society.
He acknowledged that initiatives like these help highlight women’s significant contributions to the art scene, expressing hope that such projects will mark the beginning of a lasting tradition.
Furthermore, Candelaria Delgado, in anticipation of March 8, emphasised the importance of recognising the outstanding work carried out by these illustrators and bringing attention to the efforts made by many women who have historically gone unnoticed.
She mentioned that the archives of the Cine+Comics Foundation provide an opportunity to establish a foundation for the future continuity of this work.
Among the attendees at the event was Nieves Lady Barreto, the Minister of Presidency, Public Administrations, Justice and Security for the Government of the Canary Islands.
On the occasion of March 8, the Autonomous Executive supports this initiative, shining a light on the work of artists making inroads into a traditionally male-dominated sector, as noted in a statement.
Equality is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the 2030 Agenda, which the Canary Islands government is wholeheartedly dedicated to achieving.
‘Illustrators & Illustrated’ is a showcase by the Cine+Comics Foundation that initiated its journey in 2021, driven by the Deputy of Gender Equality and Violence at the Diputación del Común, with contributions from various public and private entities, including the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Moebius Cultural Chair at the University of La Laguna, Tourism of the Canary Islands, La Caixa Foundation, Tenerife Enlightenment, Editorial Prensa Canaria, and the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Since its inception, the project’s aim has been to promote and share the talent exhibited by illustrators from the islands.
Consequently, every year since 2021, a travelling exhibition has been held featuring 105 pieces, each by a different Canarian artist, along with the publication of a collective book that presents the showcased illustrations, accompanied by additional works and biographical details, plus links to the artists’ social media accounts.
The authors’ experiences during the exhibition timeline, alongside the Foundation’s website and primary social media platforms, provide interviews with participating artists, allowing them to share their views and experiences with interested individuals.
Across the archipelago, the exhibition has been displayed in all its editions at the Parliament of the Canary Islands, at the Town Halls of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and at the House of the Colonels in Fuerteventura.
Additionally, the initiative has gained international exposure, having been featured in Havana through Vitrina de Valonia, a cultural association linking Belgium and Cuba, and at the Helsinki Comic Hall.
It has also been showcased at comic and illustration festivals in Brussels and Angoulême.
Four Catalogues
The four catalogues published to date have enjoyed wide dissemination, and the award ceremony for the authors has become a significant event, attracting illustrators from the archipelago each year.
In the most recent edition, held in 2024, the Foundation pledged to work with the artists to develop a digital archive featuring universal access, encompassing all illustrators born in or residing within the islands.
This commitment began to take shape in January of this year, with the launch of a dedicated page on the Foundation’s website, providing access to the catalog of all participants, including their biographies and contact details, and a QR code granting access to all the works exhibited over the past four years by the 222 women who have participated in the project to date.
This archive, which will grow further in May with the addition of 105 new pieces to be displayed in the fifth edition of the project in Santa Cruz de la Palma, will continue to expand, enabling free access to the artists’ works and revealing the talent behind this initiative.
With the ‘Illustrators & Illustrated’ Archive, the Foundation aims to persist in promoting and disseminating the artistry of women from the islands while striving to enhance the visibility and involvement of women in the realms of comics and illustration.
In conjunction with this exhibition, within the context of March 8, the metrics recorded in the archipelago regarding Sustainable Development Goal number 5 (gender equality) of the ‘Canary Islands Agenda 2030’ are displayed, along with the progress made in this regard across various sectors, including work, education, and from a conciliatory perspective.
The exhibition will be open for viewing from this Friday until April 6, between 10 am and 2 pm at the Presidency headquarters in Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
