Room L’Estacio de Dénia, Carrer Calderon 2, Dénia until 30 March
Feminist art took root in the United States during the 1960s and gained momentum in Europe in the following decade. The current exhibit in Dénia, titled Not a Step Back, presents a generation of women whose art helped shape this movement. Curated by Maria Victoria Margarida, the show spotlights three pivotal Spanish artists: Angela Garcia Codoner, Elizabeth Oliver, and Maribel Domenech. Each artist embodies a distinct phase of feminist art in Spain during the 70s and 80s, revealing a shared drive to redefine women’s roles in art and society.
The exhibition invites visitors to explore the genealogy of the feminist movement and to reflect on how women have battled for recognition and equality across centuries. It underscores the ongoing feminist consciousness and the enduring role of art as a catalyst for social change.
The show also features Elizabeth Oliver, with three works from the series mohistoria, including two unpublished pieces from the 2022 museum tours collection. This body of work reinterprets the past to illuminate contemporary issues and to challenge the exclusive patriarchal gaze that has long shaped art history.
Angela Garcia Codoner contributes works from the Misses series (1974), delivering a pointed critique of the female stereotypes assigned to women. The innocent fantasies of princesses are confronted by the stark reality of how women are perceived as objects of male desire.
Maribel Domenech presents two works, Gemini (1994) and Continuous Action (2004). These pieces weave the intimate details of daily life with a thoughtful sense of solitude, exploring the moments that define action and reflection.
Ciudad de Orihuela 15th annual Poetry Prize for boys and girls
La Lonja de Orihuela Auditorium, Calle Aragon, s/n, Orihuela, until 30 March
The auditorium hosts the Ciudad de Orihuela 15th annual Poetry Prize for children, an initiative by the Orihuela Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Kalandraka publishing house. It presents Spain’s most prestigious national poetry prize in children’s literature.
Elements of the exhibition were developed by Pampol Theater. Seven award-winning titles are transformed into figures, props, or characters. Contributors include Rosa Ureña, Noemí Villamuza, Miguel Ángel Díez, and Paloma Valdivia. Additional titles appear as posters, poems, and author quotes. An oral narrator guides the experience, and writer Fran Pintadera offers guidance throughout. Schools can book through the local education channels.
Jurgen Schadeberg, a renowned photographer, is remembered for documenting daily life in South Africa and the early days of the freedom movement. His work captures key moments of the 1950s and portraits of important figures, including Nelson Mandela and Miriam Makeba. Since 2013, his legacy has been preserved in Valencia, with a special exhibition curated by Claudia Schadeberg and supported by Leica Camera Iberia. The collection highlights a humane, empathetic perspective on 20th-century history.
Collective, 9 Souls
Finca Benisaudet, Alicante until 18 March
A Women’s Day group show features works by Melina Bolopa and other Alicante photographers. The exhibition, housed in the former summer residence of Gabriel Miró, is expanding to new venues in the near future. The featured artists include Ade Andreaou with a self-portrait series My Realm, Enya Kyokai with animal portraits, Nere Roubi with intimate portraits, Rafaela Martinez with Instagram-inspired photos, Ayşe with architectural photography, Naule Arvelo with expressive ink drawings, and Melina Bolopa with the introspective series Introvert, built from candid self-portraits. The display blends personal storytelling with bold visual storytelling to celebrate diverse perspectives.
Melina Bolopa’s work and the accompanying pieces invite viewers to consider how portraiture and self-representation mirror broader social conversations about identity and creativity.