Tag: Vélez-Málaga

  • CAC Vélez-Málaga in summer: art, jazz and a leisurely stroll to enjoy the town at a relaxed pace

    CAC Vélez-Málaga in summer: art, jazz and a leisurely stroll to enjoy the town at a relaxed pace

    CAC Vélez-Málaga in summer: art, jazz and a leisurely stroll to enjoy the town at a relaxed pace

    In summer, Vélez-Málaga can also be seen from a different perspective. Beyond the heat and days spent on the beach, there are places that invite you to step inside, slow down and let yourself be carried away by what’s happening within.

    The CAC Francisco Hernández has for years been a go-to destination for anyone looking for contemporary art in Vélez-Málaga. It is housed in a small mansion on Calle Félix Lomas and, in summer, its programme combines an interesting exhibition with jazz concerts in the courtyard.

    CAC Vélez-Málaga Francisco Hernández

    The CAC Francisco Hernández this summer: the ‘Vidas Figuradas’ exhibition and a jazz series

    This year, the Francisco Hernández Centre for Contemporary Art is hosting ‘Vidas Figuradas’, an exhibition by Antonio Maya that brings together over a hundred works and offers a journey through the different stages of his career. The exhibition features drawings, paintings, prints and works in other media, illustrating how his artistic vision has evolved over time. This exhibition is of interest both to those who enjoy contemporary art and to those who focus on the creative processes, the materials used and the way in which a work takes shape over time.

    Pintura en el CAC Vélez Málaga

    There is a wide selection of paintings in various formats: from large, almost monumental pieces to small works and elegantly elongated rectangular formats that create fascinating interpretations and interactions within the space.

    plan cultural en Vélez-Málaga exposicion de pintura

    The exhibition is rounded off with prints, drawings, screen prints and sculptures. A veritable repertoire of artistic languages and techniques that intertwine to explore the artist’s journey, his versatility and the way he harnesses the qualities of different media to bring his ideas to life.

    Exposición CAC Vélez-Málaga

    And to round off the cultural programme in Vélez-Málaga, this exhibition is complemented by the open-air jazz series held every Wednesday in the CAC’s courtyard during the summer months. This combination of exhibition, music and shared space makes for a wonderfully relaxed cultural outing, requiring no great preparation and offering the added bonus of being free of charge.

    Programación Jazz CAC Vélez-Málaga

    Practical information for your visit to the CAC Vélez-Málaga

    • CAC Francisco Hernández
    • 27 Calle Félix Lomas, Vélez-Málaga
    • Tuesday to Saturday, 10.00–14.00 and 17.00–20.00
    • Free admission
    • Exhibition: ‘Vidas Figuradas’ by Antonio Maya, until 11 October 2026
    • Jazz at the CAC: every Wednesday in July and August at 21:00

    Round off your cultural experience with a taste of local life

    Just a few minutes’ walk from the CAC Francisco Hernández, on Calle Cruz Verde, you’ll find Axárquica. It’s a small, intimate local cultural and creative space, closely tied to the day-to-day work of creation – and it is precisely for this reason that it can be part of a particularly lovely afternoon for anyone who enjoys discovering places where culture is experienced in a more intimate way.

    This summer, you can also visit the exhibition Intercambios Gráficos there, a show featuring works by 23 artists from 12 countries. These are pieces that engage in a dialogue with one another through techniques such as linocut and experimental printmaking, inviting you to approach the work with time, curiosity and a desire to examine the details.

    ‘Intercambios Gráficos’, an exhibition of printmaking at Axárquica

    Sometimes that’s exactly what you fancy: stepping out of an exhibition, walking for a few minutes through the historic centre, and then popping into a smaller venue, one that’s more attuned to conversation, to creative processes and to the human scale of things (and with air conditioning, which is much appreciated in summer in Vélez-Málaga).

    exposicion de obra gráfica en Vélez-Málaga

    At Axárquica, a visit is not limited to what is displayed on the exhibition walls. Intercambios Gráficos brings together work by 23 artists from 12 countries who work with printmaking and linocut techniques, experimenting with experimental print runs and collaborative projects, whilst highlighting the traces of the artist’s hand and the printmaking studio in the creative processes. Each piece retains something of the technical decisions behind it: the type of plate, the pressure applied, the order of the layers, the chosen colour — and taking a leisurely look is almost like peering into that process.

    That’s why it tends to resonate particularly well with people who enjoy art not just as viewers, but also as those curious about how it’s made. If you’re interested in finding out a bit more about how this exhibition came about and about the opening of the space itself, you can read the other piece we wrote about the opening of Axárquica and ‘Intercambios Gráficos’.

    An afternoon of cultural programme in Vélez-Málaga

    A couple of hours in the afternoon is enough to walk from the CAC to Axárquica through the historic centre, taking your time to enjoy both places.. You can start with the exhibition at Félix Lomas, then head over to Cruz Verde, strolling through quiet streets, and round off the day with some art, conversation and, if it’s on, a concert at the Peña Flamenca, which is just a few minutes’ walk from our venue.

    There’s no need to turn it into a fixed route or a perfect itinerary. Sometimes the most enjoyable thing is precisely that: stepping into a space, carrying on walking, stopping wherever something catches your eye, and discovering that a simple afternoon can end up being much richer than it first seemed.

    What keeps happening when you step outside

    There is something about seeing artworks in person that no screen can quite capture: their actual size, their textures, the light in the room, the silence or the background murmur, the feeling of sharing the space with other people. These are small details, but they make the experience linger in the memory in a different way.

    That’s why a visit often doesn’t end when you walk out the door. Sometimes it continues in a conversation, in an idea that lingers, or in the desire to return and take a closer look. And that, ultimately, is also part of the value of cultural spaces when they are truly integrated into the life of a city.

    If you pop into the CAC Vélez-Málaga this summer and decide to carry on walking a little further, we’ll be right here, close by, making space for creativity and for things to be savoured at a leisurely pace.

    If you’ve read this far, thank you for taking a moment to read my words.
    Paula.

  • A creative afternoon at Axárquica: with hands covered in ink, time spent together and good conversations

    A creative afternoon at Axárquica: with hands covered in ink, time spent together and good conversations

    A creative afternoon at Axárquica: with hands covered in ink, time spent together and good conversations

    creative afternoon in Vélez-Málaga

    A different kind of creative afternoon in Vélez-Málaga

    Some afternoons just pass us by, whilst others linger in our memories.
    The creative afternoons at the workshop usually fall into the latter category.

    At Axárquica, our art space in Vélez-Málaga, the creative afternoon doesn’t begin when people arrive, but much earlier: when the tables are set up for the handmade printing workshop, the tools are organised, the inks are laid out and everything is left ready so that, as soon as someone walks through the door, they feel as though they can pause time for a while.

    Because that’s what it’s all about, really: taking a break.
    Doing something with your hands.
    Sharing without rushing.

    The space before it all begins

    Even before the first people arrive, the workshop already has a special feel to it.

    The tables are carefully laid out: gouges, sheets of linoleum, rollers, inks, paper, fabrics. To one side, some light refreshments, a few drinks ready – that little touch that transforms a workshop into a creative get-together. It’s not just about coming to learn a technique: it’s about spending the afternoon in a lovely, pleasant spot in Vélez-Málaga.

    The light streams in gently; the space exudes calm. Everything is ready, yet still peaceful. All you can hear is the soft jazz we’ve put on to warm up before we get started.

    And then people start to arrive.

    tardeo creativo en espacio creativo

    From idea to linoleum stamp: the creative process

    Handcrafted stamp-making and printing workshops have something very special about them: they combine moments for concentration with moments for play and discovery.

    During the early stages of our creative projects, everyone focuses on their own design. Some people arrive with a clear idea, whilst others need to explore a little further. It doesn’t matter. Everyone sets their own pace.

    We sketch, simplify and adapt the image to the language of linocut.
    And then comes the moment to carve.

    Something interesting happens here: the silence becomes shared. All you can hear is the sound of the gouges on the linoleum, the occasional laugh, and comments coming and going. It isn’t a rigid silence; it’s more like a kind of collective concentration.

    The hands work, the mind relaxes.

    planes creativos de estampación artesanal en Vélez-Málaga

    The moment of the ink

    When the stamps start to be inked, the atmosphere changes.

    The music picks up. The first results appear. The test prints. The mistakes (which often turn out to be successes). The surprise of seeing how an idea that was just in your head becomes something physical.

    Mini-prints are stamped onto paper, compositions are tested on kraft notebooks, and unique tote bags are designed. Every piece is different, even when starting with the same stamp.

    The ink stains our hands, the tables, and sometimes our clothes. That’s all part of the experience too. And what the heck, we love it!

    ven a mancharte las manos de tinta

    When the workshop becomes a collective

    There’s something happening in many of these creative group sessions that we love to watch: collaboration arises quite naturally.

    Sometimes groups of friends turn up and decide to work on the same theme. Each person creates their own stamp, whilst thinking about how it will fit in with the others’. Then, when they’re stamping, they combine all the elements to create collective pieces.

    diseña tu tote bag con amigas

    At other times, the opposite happens: everyone works on their own design independently, but as soon as they start to see the results, they begin swapping stamps.
    “Do you mind if I try yours?”
    “What if we combine this one with that one?”

    There are also the workshop’s own stamps, which we make available as a reference or resource. And it’s lovely to see how they’re incorporated: one person uses them to complete their composition, another to experiment, and another simply to have a bit of fun.

    What begins as an individual process ends up becoming a shared experience.

    And that’s the magic of printmaking: collaboration, exchange, creating together.

    Beyond technique

    Yes, in these workshops you learn linocut printing.
    Yes, you practise hand-printing on paper and fabric.
    Yes, there’s a tangible result that you take home with you.

    But what really happens goes beyond the technique.

    It’s an experience that blends creativity, conversation and quality time. A space where you don’t need to know how to do it, or do it perfectly. Where you can try things out, make mistakes, and try again.

    And where, almost without realising it, you switch off from everything else.

    It’s precisely at that moment that we have the best time. When someone suddenly glances at their watch and says, ‘Three hours have gone by and I didn’t even realise it’, that’s exactly when we’re enjoying ourselves without any rush, without routines, without screens.

    A creative plan that makes you want to do it again

    Many people turn up without ever having done anything like this before. Others come looking for something different to do in the Axarquía, something out of the ordinary.

    Many people are worried that they “won’t know how to do it” or “don’t have the skills”…

    The funny thing is that, when they’ve finished, the feeling is usually the same for almost everyone: “We’ve got to do this again”.

    Because it’s not just what you do, but how you feel whilst doing it.

    Creative afternoons strike that rare balance between activity and relaxation. Between learning and enjoying yourself. Between being on your own and being with others.

    And that, given the pace of life we lead, isn’t all that easy to find.

    Axárquica as a meeting place

    In Vélez-Málaga, Axárquica is gradually becoming a place where things happen.

    Not just workshops, but get-togethers.
    Not just learning, but experience.

    planes diferentes para grupos en axarquía

    Creative projects, especially when undertaken in a group, generate something that is difficult to explain but easy to recognise: a connection that extends beyond the workshop itself.

    By the end of the afternoon, the tables are covered in test pieces and ink stains; and the drying rack is laden with finished pieces that will dry over the next few days.
    The conversations continue.
    And there is a shared sense of having done something meaningful.

    Something simple, yet important.

    And if you’ve made it this far, thank you for joining me on this journey.

    Paula.

  • Graphic Exchanges (2012–2026): the exhibition of graphic art that marked the opening of Axárquica

    Graphic Exchanges (2012–2026): the exhibition of graphic art that marked the opening of Axárquica

    Graphic Exchanges (2012–2026): the exhibition of graphic art that marked the opening of Axárquica

    Our opening: an exhibition of graphic art and prints.

    exhibition of graphic art
    Opening of Axárquica’s workshop and gallery with the Graphic Exchanges 2012–2026 exhibition

    Axárquica was founded as a creative space, yes, but also as a meeting place for art and culture. From day one, it was clear to us that we wanted things to happen here beyond the creative process: we wanted dialogue, reflection and a moment to pause.

    That is why we decided to mark the opening day with an exhibition. Not as an afterthought, but as a statement of intent.

    “Graphic Exchanges. 2012–2026” is the first exhibition to be held in Axárquica’s exhibition and workshop space. And this is no coincidence: it brings together fourteen years of relationships, exchanges, conversations and shared interests centred on printmaking.

    What is “Graphic Exchanges”?

    This exhibition of graphic art brings together works by 23 artists from 12 different countries, brought together through a very simple gesture: exchange.

    For years, the process has almost always been the same. I send a piece of graphic art — usually an engraving — and, on the other side, another artist responds with their own. There are no hierarchies, no curation in the traditional sense. There is correspondence.

    The result is a diverse collection, yet one connected by something very specific: the time shared between people who work within the same artistic language.

    exposicion intercambios graficos en Vélez-Málaga
    Selection process for works belonging to the studio’s collection

    Although we have many more works, our exhibition space in Vélez-Málaga is very small, so we’ve had to make an initial selection for this exhibition (there’s more to come!).

    At the exhibition, you’ll find pieces by the following artists (you can click on their names to visit their profiles):

    Each piece has its own story, but they all share the same origin: the desire for exchange.

    Printmaking as a meeting point

    One of the most interesting things that has been happening since the opening is that many of the people who come into the space ask us the same question: ‘What is this? It’s not a painting, it’s not a drawing – what is it?’

    And that’s where a conversation begins.

    exposición de arte en Vélez-Málaga
    A collaborative project involving the printing of playing cards, initiated by Juan Maestre in 2021

    Because, although printmaking has a long tradition and forms part of our visual culture, we do not always recognise it or know how to identify it when we come across it. In “Graphic Exchanges”, most of the works are linocuts, a technique that involves carving a plate (in this case, linoleum), inking it and printing it onto paper.

    But beyond the technique, what is interesting is understanding printmaking as a process:

    • It involves repetition, but it is not industrial reproduction
    • It has distinctive features such as the numbering of the edition
    • Each print has slight variations
    • And, in this case, it also has a relational dimension: exchange

    The exhibition serves, almost without meaning to, as a brief introduction to the world of printmaking and, in particular, linocut. And that makes it an excellent starting point for those who have had no previous experience of these techniques. Many of these conversations end up sparking a curiosity to learn more, which is why at Axárquica we also dedicate part of the space to training in printmaking techniques, for those who want to move beyond simply looking and try their hand at it themselves.

    A collection built up over time

    There is something you only notice when you see all the works together: the passage of time.

    It is not a fixed collection, nor was it conceived in a single go. It is a living archive that has been built up bit by bit, over the course of 14 years, in parallel with the evolution of those involved in it.

    That is why, although it may seem like a simple exhibition to put together, it is actually very complex to curate. Each piece comes from a different moment in the life of its creator, and I am mindful of how their work has evolved since then. Sometimes the print on the wall does not exactly reflect what those people are creating today, but that is precisely where the beauty of this collection lies: it functions as a small, living archive of our journeys, rather than a snapshot of where we are now.

    montaje exposición Vélez-Málaga
    Installation of the Graphic Exchanges exhibition at Axárquica Espacio Creativo

    Some pieces are more recent, whilst others are now over a decade old. Some engage with one another on a formal level; others do so on a conceptual level or through the memory of the moment in which they were exchanged.

    This accumulation of layers means that the exhibition is not merely a display of graphic work, but also a map of relationships built up over time and with care.

    The Axárquica exhibition space

    With this exhibition of prints from the Axarquía region of Málaga, we are also launching an important part of the project: our small exhibition space in Vélez-Málaga.

    exposicion de obra gráfica en Vélez-Málaga
    Exhibition of graphic art Graphic Exchanges 2012-2026, inn Vélez-Málaga

    Although our space is small, we have no shortage of love for art, let alone a desire to share it. Axárquica is not just a place to create. It is also a place to look, to delve deeper into art and to discover new things.

    We want anyone to be able to pop in – without an appointment, without any prior plans, without having to sign up for anything – and come face to face with the artwork. To stop for a while. To look.

    The exhibition is open to the public free of charge during the workshop’s opening hours.

    This is important to us: that access to culture isn’t conditional on having to consume something else. You can come simply to look, have a chat in the workshop for a while, and then leave. It’s free, and it’s lovely.

    And, for those who do fancy staying a little longer and moving from contemplation to practice, we also open up the space to various creative activities that take place throughout the year.

    A place to return to

    “Graphic Exchanges. 2012–2026” is just the beginning.

    This exhibition of graphic art is the first of many more to come. Our plan is for this exhibition space to evolve, generating new ideas, inviting other artists, and exploring new avenues of work that connect with what is happening within the studio and also with what is happening outside it.

    We want to showcase the work of local artists, provide a space where emerging creators can access the exhibition world in a simple and enjoyable way; and also bring artists from all over the world closer to the people of our region.

    For us, there was something very fitting about starting here: with an exhibition that speaks of networks, the circulation of work, and the connections forged through artistic practice.

    If you’re passing through Vélez-Málaga, feel free to pop in whenever you like. Take your time.

    Sometimes, the most interesting thing about a space isn’t what it promises, but what it builds up over time.

    And this has only just begun.

    If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading and for getting to know Axárquica, even if it’s just through the screen.

    Paula.

Axárquica
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