Juan Antonio Roche is a rising professor of Culture and Art Sociology whose curriculum spans a wide range of topics. In this article, the discussion doesn’t try to fit every notable artist into a single frame but instead offers a thoughtful glimpse into the diverse works of artists connected to key figures in the art world. A presenter would not usually step in as editor this time to decode Roche’s latest contributions. The goal is to introduce readers to a bohemian and sophisticated sociologist who recently found a home in the scenic town of Altea near Carmen. This location promised a richer understanding that readers would only discover through this publication. Roche is midway through one project and already envisioning another, driven by a passion that invites encouragement, much like a national cyclist aiming for a peak stage.
Following Roche’s testimony as a persistent advocate, there is coverage of a project focused on and dedicated to female artists who live and work in this province. The work emphasizes that art is a vital need and not merely a hobby for these artists. In this edition, Roche collaborates with a brilliant team to present a substantial volume from UA Publications in partnership with Alfons el Magnanim. The effort highlights Roche’s enduring curiosity and practical intelligence. The book surveys the history of Alicante’s women artists through nearly three hundred pages, divided into four expansive sections and richly illustrated with important reproductions.
In the opening chapter, a first‑rate mind explores the world of Polín Laporta of Alcoy, and the figure of Eusebio Sempere is referenced with interpretive nuance. Artist Martín Noguerol seeks meaning in the stain and the line, as María Chana, a woman with deep eyes, is traced as a fearless delineator. Critic José Luis Antequera gathers courage and challenges a fellow polyhedral thinker, Carmen Jorques, wherever she may be. Professor Pascual Patuel locates abstraction in the works of Iluminada García-Torres, while Ariadna’s influence on Theseus is invoked. The author José Luis Ferris delves into Elena Jiménez’s multidisciplinary practice, elevating it to a sublime level. The section closes with Pedro Vicente Mullor guiding readers toward the world of Ana Teresa Ortega, a historian who revives memory through research.
In the second chapter, The Troubled Man, La Rubia de Prado discusses the evolutionary stages of one of Alicante’s most universal artists: Joan Doctor Regina Perez Castillo. Her presence is captured in Cristina de Middel’s photographs that blend reality with fiction. Natalia Molinos, a scholar of art, guides readers through Olga Diego’s cosmogonic and dreamy arcs. Remedios Navarro, a technician from MUA, explains Susana Guerrero of Elche and her enamel processes. The work of PhD student María Arregui from Seville helps illustrate how the past remains a part of the present. Rosell Meseguer, another Meseguer, directs culture, while José Luis Martínez, in his role as a cultural leader, reveals Isabel Rico’s photographic atmosphere, not simply as travelers. In Rosana Antolí, María José Gadea of MUBAG speaks about the body as a storyteller. Gallery owner Gertrud Gómez introduces the ideas of Luz Femenía: light, as a desire that creates light.
The third group of the book, Nature, opens with a meditation on technique. Maria Mark discusses the creation of Maria Dolores Mulá, a painter and experimental artist. UB professor Laura Cornejo treats Elena Aguilera, a former master of plastic arts from Alicante, in a discussion about the idea that blue is not merely a color. Ana Belén explores recreations of the Mediterranean landscape as interpreted by Dolores Balsalobre. Tatiana Hidalgo-Marí and her doctoral student Patricia Palomares describe their landscape interventions, weaving characters into a recreated terrain by Cristina Ferrández. The Castellón-born Rosalía Torrent concludes with the natural world as seen through Silvia Sempere from Alcoy, praised by Isabel Tejeda for combining plastic and graphic elements.
In the final section, Threads, Wefts and Warps, Irene Ballester investigates another celebrated artist, while Aurelia Massanet shares stories of fabrics and memories. Pilar Sala’s portrayal of nature, vegetables, reeds, and branches is captured with fidelity by Miriam Tejero. Irene Ballester explores color and emotion in Perceval Graells’ work, a Paris-inspired palette that has long fascinated the author. Pilar Tébar, now director of Gil-Albert, sharpens Luisa Pastor’s calligraphic mosaics on paper and collage. The concluding chapter features Juana María Balsalobre, who analyzes the space and landscape debate through Mónica Jover’s paintings, underscoring the need for new materials in her art practice.
Morning greetings accompany the note that Rogelio, the Arts and Literature coordinator, provided a list naming all twenty-four featured artists and the experts who study them. While twenty-four names anchor the volume, the spirit of the work lies in recognizing each artist on their own terms. The project marks a meaningful contribution to a regional archive and hints that a second volume may follow, expanding this important catalog of women artists.
The commitment of professors and women who push to expand the art landscape remains evident throughout the volume.