Demetrio, Alicante’s renowned cartoonist and watercolor artist, opens a retrospective this Wednesday at 19:30, gathering 36 of his finest works. The show showcases the breadth of his career, blending comic page storytelling with delicate watercolor and acrylic explorations on paper and cardboard. The collection includes iconic characters and scenes from his comic book pages, alongside broader series that reflect his travel experiences and urban observations. It is a vibrant potpourri that traverses his early heroics, the humor of his cartoons, and the immersive world he paints with brush and imagination, from bustling cities to quiet alleyways.
Prior to the opening, the atmosphere suggests a personal moment in Demetrio’s artistic journey. The curator notes the painter’s enduring passion, explaining that even as a master of eclectic subjects, his approach remains rooted in a lucid, naive charm that invites viewers to see familiar places and adventures through a kinder, more whimsical lens. The exhibition also highlights a recent body of work created during the pandemic’s pauses, with several pieces still in progress and awaiting discovery at the moment of display. One standout work, a large canvas titled Casa Carbonell, is described as a painting he promised to complete, reflecting his promise to finish what began in his youth and to share that commitment with the audience at the venue.
Demetrio’s long-time friend describes the artist as someone who gradually sheds hesitancy when drawing, a process that allows him to reveal the core of his inspiration. The shows’ conversations touch on how his illustrations have evolved, tracing a path from the exotic fantasies of adventure to the textured textures of markets in North Africa and the Middle East, and even to old Alicante scenes that spark both nostalgia and curiosity. The viewer is invited to follow the artist’s curiosity as he traverses cultures and eras, from legends of the Wild West to the intimate details of daily life in foreign cities. The work reflects a life lived in color, with ink lines that dance across the page and paint that breathes with memories.
The public can visit the exhibition through October 22, with viewing hours from Tuesday to Saturday, 18:30 to 20:30. The space becomes a portal into Demetrio’s evolving imagination, guiding spectators through a timeline that is both retrospective and fresh, where familiar images meet new interpretations and the gaps between panels fill with voice and motion. Visitors will encounter a cohesive vision that connects childhood dreams with contemporary explorations, a reminder that art can travel across time and place while remaining intimately personal.