Guitar has long fascinated cubist paths and the broader avant-garde, tracing from Pablo Picasso to George Braque. A new Alicante exhibition gathers twenty-five contemporary takes on this instrument, presented as part of initiatives across diverse art disciplines to mark the tenth anniversary of the Master in Classical Guitar Performance at the University of Alicante.
The curator, Juan Antonio Roche, a professor and sociologist who previously directed the UA master’s program, will open the show. The event will debut later this year, on 1 November, at LAB15, Portalet Palace on Calle Labradores in Alicante, after a year of careful planning. Roche invited twenty-five contemporary artists from the Alicante region to interpret the classical guitar, describing it as “the only truly Spanish instrument we have.” The aim is to shed an elitist image and bring the instrument closer to the public through a wide range of coexisting artistic expressions and contemporary manifestations.
Elena Aguilera, Miguel Bañuls, Cayetano Ferrández, Fuencisla Francés, Manuel Galdón, Dionisio Gázquez, Susana Guerrero, Rafael Hernández García, Elena Jiménez, Pepe Gimeno, Carme Jorques, Mónica Son Jorques, E Mulia Pastor, Mónica Son Jorques, Isabel Rico, Pilar Sala, Alfonso Sánchez, Silvia Sempere and Paco Valverde, along with the three Jose Luis Navarro, Jorge Bermejo and Sergi Hernandez, are the artists invited to participate in the exhibition.
Works by Rafael Hernandez — INFORMATION
Most of the creators are established professionals who represent three guiding principles set by Roche: shapes, sounds, and sensations produced by the guitar. Through this three-way approach to connecting art and guitar, some artists focused on strings, pegs, curtains, resonators, and the wooden body of the instrument; others explored listening, composing, and the social reach of the instrument; a third group reflected on how the guitar communicates with audiences. The curator describes the project as something new, noting that through performance the body, gestures, and sounds emitted by the instrument become a lens for his works, which span painting, sculpture, screen printing, photography, textile art, and video creation.
Monica Jover’s work — INFORMATION
In this展, Rafael Hernández pays homage to his father, a guitarist, through an oil painting, while Mónica Jover recalls the years of learning the instrument. Dolores Mula explores rope textures in a circular motif and uses strings, Fuencisla Frances Forest integrates collage elements, Elena Jiménez engages with rope textures, and Lastres and Bañuls approach sculpture from multiple angles. The pieces also include box resonators and other guitar‑related references, all presented with a contemporary sensibility. The diverse array of works resonates across media, each contributing a distinct voice to the dialogue around the instrument.
The organizer emphasizes that richness comes from the fact that every artist interprets what the guitar represents through their own tools and vocabulary. The result is far from repetitive, showcasing a broad spectrum of styles and techniques realized as painting, sculpture, screen printing, photography, textile art, and video creation. A small concert is planned as a kickoff, followed by speeches by artists and guided visits for former master’s degree students. The exhibition will remain open through December, inviting audiences to experience this contemporary reimagining of a classic instrument.