Malaga artist Javier Calleja is a winner in first Andalusian culture awards
The newly created Premios Andalucía de la Cultura also recognise the brotherhood of El Cautivo, María Dueñas, Palomo Spain, Paz Vega, David Uclés, Mario Bermúdez and María Terremoto
Paco Griñán
Malaga
Friday, 21 November 2025, 11:18
Malaga-born artist Javier Calleja is the most recognised contemporary Andalusian artist abroad. This year, his work has visited Seoul, after galleries from New York to Tokyo, Taipei, Miami and Copenhagen praised those big eyes with which his characters look at the world to reflect on humanity and show their concern for the conservation of the planet. His creative capacity has never lost its original purpose, which won him the first Premio Andalucía de la Cultura (Andalusian culture award) for his outstanding contribution to the development of art in the region on Wednesday, 19 November.
The artist, who held a major exhibition in Centro Cultural Fundación Unicaja in 2023, received the award in the visual arts category. He was not the only Malaga artist to receive one of the newly established Andalusian awards for culture. He has been recognised alongside the brotherhoods of Nuestro Padre Jesús Cautivo, María Santísima de la Trinidad Coronada y del Glorioso Apóstol Santiago, which received awards in the sacred art category.
In addition, the list also includes other well-known examples of Andalusian culture, such as actress and director Paz Vega from Seville; writer David Uclés, who has fascinated the public this year with his novel La península de las casas vacías (The Peninsula of Empty Houses); designer Palomo Spain; violinist and composer María Dueñas from Granada; singer María Terremoto from Jerez; and dancer and choreographer Mario Bermúdez.
Besides the abovementioned brotherhoods, research magazine Periférica Internacional: Revista para el análisis de la cultura y el territorio and Fundación Alalá, Arte y Cultura por la Integración are other entities that have been recognised for their work. At the same time, Almonte won the award for Andalusian heritage municipality for preserving Parque Nacional de Doñana, declared a world heritage site.
Javier Calleja receives the award at a turning point, marking the next stage of his career as an international artist.
