Malaga: A Hotbed of Mediterranean Culture

Malaga is the birthplace of famous artist Pablo Picasso and it is easy to see why a city of such picturesque beauty would inspire someone to paint; with its pure blue skies, sea lined coast and rich green hills. Indeed, there is something about the delicate lines and sumptuous colours of this coastal town that almost makes it appear as if it has actually been painted by an artist’s delicate hand. Picasso himself spent only the first ten years of his life in Malaga, but during this period he was already showing talent as a young artist and you can almost feel what an influence this place must have had upon him.

In fact, if you look beneath his often surreal painting style, you can see that there is actually something distinctly Mediterranean about it – particularly his colour choices – rich ochre, vibrant reds and azure blues reflect the sparkling colour-ways of this warm Spanish city. The importance of this city to Picasso is probably one of the main reasons why – after his death – his surviving relatives decided to open a museum in Malaga, after a long desire that there should be some rooted historical link between Picasso and his Spanish birthplace. It would seem fitting that the majority of the works are personal pieces that he created for his family and most have never before been seen by the public.

They are housed in an old 16th Century Andalusian noble house, not five minutes from his place of birth. In more recent times, it is clear that Malaga has continued to grow and transform into a multicultural and buzzing city. So while there are plenty of links to ancient culture, like old majestic cathedrals, Roman amphitheatres and even the Gibralfaro Castle – which dates back to the 14th Century – the Picasso Museum is just a singular example of the now ever-increasing number of exciting, new things happening in Malaga’s cultural calendar. Indeed, the city has also been nominated for European Culture Capital – which will be decided in the year 2016 and in the run up to this, Malaga is expected to push its self artistically and strive to achieve this important cultural recognition.

It is therefore not surprising that many people book their flights to Malaga as soon as they can to avoid disappointment, so they can be a part of this cultural extravaganza and experience the city in its rise towards greatness. The Centre for Contemporary Art is perhaps Malaga’s most recent cultural addition. It opened in 2003 and houses paintings, photography, sculpture and conceptual art works that range from 19th Century right up to some of the most contemporary pieces around. Its aim is to promote interesting and unique new artists; and in terms of what Malaga represents, it is a small example of the cultural revolution that is currently sweeping the city like a whirlwind. The information contained within this article is the opinion of the author and is intended purely for information and interest purposes only. It should not be used to make any decisions or take any actions. Any links are included for information purposes only.