July 19 Yecla celebrates the 100th birthday of its most famous living painter

Juan Ricolópez was born in Yecla in 1925

A special celebration is being held in Yecla on Saturday 19^th July to mark the 100^th birthday of Juan Ricolópez, who was born in the town and whose name has been given to the museum in the Casa de Cultura.

The event begins at 12.00 midday in the Salón de Actos “Pablo Corbalan”, also inside the Casa Municipal de Cultura (Calle España, 37, click for map), which is home to around a hundred of his paintings from different stages in his artistic career – all of these works have been donated to the town in recognition of the influence Yecla and the Altiplano area of the Region of Murcia have had on his work over the decades.

It is said that Ricolópez is one of Yecla’s most universal painters and the event celebrates the “light, colour and Yeclanía” of his production, which includes scenes involving landscapes, fishermen, agricultural labour, motherhood, childhood, wine production and many others. It is now over 60 years since he first began to exhibit his work all over Spain, since when he has also been involved in exhibitions in the UK, France, the Dominican Republic and the USA. He lived in Miami for a long time and won widespread recognition during his years in Florida.

A retrospective exhibition of his career was held in Yecla in 2000 and in 2002 he designed the poster for the annual Fiestas de la Virgen in December, before the museum paying homage to his career was opened in 2014.

Those intending to be present at the event on 19^th July should make sure to book their places by telephone on 968 750942.

Further information is available from the tourist office of Yecla (email turismo@yecla.es) or, for more visiting information in English, go to the home page of Yecla Today.