El Mirador del Carmen exhibits a mythical ice cream of 3,000 kilos made of marble

The recreation of the famous ‘Dracula’ polo shirt is part of the exhibition of the artist Juan Miguel Quiñones in which he shows other iconic summer objects.

The Mirador del Carmen Cultural Center will exhibit from tomorrow a 3,000 kilos ice cream made of marble. It is a recreation of the mythical ‘Dracula’ pole, which for decades has been part of the childhoods of our country, and is part of the exhibition ‘Quiñones: Al Origen’, in which the artist Juan Miguel Quiñones offers his particular and monumental version of iconic summer objects made of marble and different stones.

In this exhibition, which can be visited by the public starting tomorrow, Saturday, August 2, there are 180 pieces sculpted in marble and different types of stone that represent great symbols of the summer season such as ice cream, beach toys, diving fins, surfboards or scooters.

The artist goes back to his childhood to sculpt, with the hard stone technique, some of his favorite objects: the famous Dracula, Pirulo or Fantasmiko ice creams, the typical toy shotguns, water pistols or cameras with the face of a clown, essential in any street fair stall.

The mayor of Estepona, José María García Urbano, and the artist himself have visited the exhibition, starring “the utopia of summer and the time stopped between beach, sun and play”. The sculptures are made using various techniques: from cutting with diamond saws to Renaissance-style inlay. This artistic production is “the result of a practice deeply connected with the tradition of stonemasonry and manual marble work”, and influenced by the quarries of Vejer de la Frontera, the artist’s hometown.

The alderman has pointed out that the work of Quiñones will not leave any of the visitors of the exhibition indifferent. “In a handmade way he has made a series of contemporary works that connect in an emotional way with the memories of several generations. In addition, we can see recreations of a beach or a quarry where the works are perfectly explained and integrated. I am convinced that this exhibition will be a before and after in the already unquestionable artistic career of Quiñones”, said García Urbano.

The exhibition, which can be visited until December 14, is proposed as a symbolic reunion between the artist and Estepona, the city where he grew up and develops his work. At the same time, as the crossing of two parallel gazes: one towards the work of a sculptor who, by turning marble into a ductile material, has built a cult around the iconic objects of the childhoods of the 1990s; the other, towards the recent history of a territory (the Costa del Sol), which has nurtured the lifestyle and collective memory of those who have inhabited this landscape reinvented for the consumption of a summer utopia.

Juan Miguel Quiñones’ career has been highly praised by international art critics who have highlighted how his work can be read as “a sensitive archeology of an era, a territory and a memory shared by those who have inhabited or traveled this landscape”.

In recent years, Quiñones’ work has transcended borders, being exhibited in various galleries and art fairs in the United States, Europe and China. His practice, deeply rooted in matter and gesture, has captivated in international contexts, confirming the power of his sculptural language.

The exhibition can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10.00 to 14.00 hours and from 16.00 to 20.00 hours. Free admission for registered residents of the city.