Malaga leaves its mark in Miami thanks to street art project

Malaga has left its mark in Miami with an urban artwork that reflects the main attractions of the Costa del Sol capital, among them Pablo Picasso's heritage. The 315-square-metre mural Málaga Loves Coral Gables by artist Eduardo Luque 'Lalone' was presented in the American city to mark Día de la Hispanidad.

This is the largest area painted to date as part of the city's artistic initiative, which now totals six street art installations. At the inauguration, councillor for tourism Jacobo Florido said: "The two murals engage in a vibrant dialogue that reflects both their individual cultural identities and a shared artistic vision."

The murals represent Malaga in all its glory: the sun, the warm sky, the Mediterranean, La Farola del Muelle Uno, the Pompidou cube, the Roman Theatre, the Alcazaba, Calle Larios, Malaga Cathedral and, of course, Pablo Picasso. In addition, there are elements from Malaga's cuisine, such as 'espeto' sardines and wines.

"The Coral Gables mural reflects cubist inspiration, weaving the legacy of George Merrick, founder of this city, into a tapestry of its history. It depicts city icons such as the Biltmore Hotel and the Venetian Pool, alongside the portrait and sculpture of George Merrick and a vintage streetcar, all set beneath the blue sky of a city," the authorities said.

The double mural in Coral Gables is the sixth promotional street art action within the 'Málaga loves' initiative and the Celebración Picasso 1973-2023. Malaga has also left its mark in Munich, Basel, Shanghai and Seoul (twice).

With this invitation, Miami promotes Malaga as a culturally unique and culinary destination. The mural inauguration was accompanied by several other activities in which various Malaga institutions and companies have participated.

The first of them was the friendly padel tournament at the prestigious Wynwood Padel Club in Miami on 13 October, which brought together business owners and famous names from the worlds of culture, travel and tourism. At the end of the tournament, the 150 attendees enjoyed a Malaga tasting dinner.

On 14 October, several activities were held with students from schools supported by the Spanish government. In the afternoon, Weston Mission hosted a friendly match between Weston FC and a league of retired Spanish and Latin American professional players and sports and travel journalists. The Málaga CF teammates wore the official kit.

Another wine tasting took place on Wednesday, after the official inauguration of the mural. The event included a flamenco dance performance by Malaga dance conservatory Ángel Pericet. Bodega El Pimpi took the spotlight in representing the city's gastronomy.

The programme ended with several meetings between renowned local business owners, investors, heads of shipping companies and Miami airport and airline authorities. The aim was to open a discussion regarding the deseasonalisation of Malaga's connections with the US. The closing event, on the occasion of Día de la Hispanidad, was hosted by the Spanish consulate.