Museum opening in Torremolinos: the Gaudí of the Axarquía finalises his new artistic space
Art fanatic Antonio Montañez has been working for almost a decade to transform a house near Playamar into a space for creativity and a showcase for his heartfelt tribute to the Catalan designer and architect Gaudi
It is not presented as a building, it is more like "a beating heart". In other words, it is "as if someone had decided to turn their dreams into walls, their memories into mosaics and their life into art".
This idea, which is nothing more nor less than the transformation of a house into a work of art and space for creativity, is the brainchild of local resident Antonio Montañez, who is known as the Gaudí of the Axarquía . This is no coincidence.
Although his profession is carpenter, Montañez, a native of the hamlet of El Valdés in Moclinejo, is known for giving new life to corners of the municipality thanks to designs made from building materials and other waste materials. He's also known for using the technique known as 'trencadís', devised by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. This technique uses broken pieces to decorate walls and more and was, for example, also adopted by Santiago Calatrava to give a unique look to the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia.
In the case of Montañez, the Casa Museo de la Axarquía (house-cum-museum), with five floors and 300 square metres of space, is his greatest legacy. However, he is now competing with himself by setting up another attraction at number seven Calle Tirreno in Torremolinos, near Playamar, where, with the methods for which he's already famous, he will soon open another space for art, this time measuring 500 square metres.
An eclectic place
This new space is all about the eclectic. Visitors will find everything from a selection of antique toys to pieces from the Mensaque tile factory in Seville, sculptures by various artists, including Montañez, and photographs of Torremolinos' past and its splendid early days of tourism, alongside paintings from that era, brought from different places.
For the opening, which is pending final paperwork, the creator of the new museum in this Costa del Sol town has announced a group exhibition, featuring nearly 50 artists.
Once open to the public, visitors will find nods to Malaga and to Montañez's family. The tour will allow them to get to know the place where this restless man, now in his mid-70s, gives free rein to his artistic passions and where he also lives.
