‘360 Cádiz’ exhibition celebrates art and history

The Fine Arts Association has announced 360 Cádiz, an exhibition celebrating both the 30-year artistic career of Cádiz-born painter Cecilio Chaves and the 30th anniversary of the Torre Tavira’s camera obscura.

The exhibition will be on display at the Fine Arts Gallery throughout October and will be open to the public as from Wednesday, October 15.

Cecilio Chaves, who grew up in Cádiz, developed an interest in art from the age of twelve. He graduated with a degree in Fine Arts (Painting) from Seville in 1996, the same year he received a scholarship in Granada. He later continued his studies in Frankfurt, Germany, where he explored printmaking techniques such as dry point, etching, and silkscreen.

His first solo exhibition took place in Cádiz in 1996. Since then, he has exhibited his work in Galicia, Andalusia, Madrid, and Berlin, and has participated in art fairs in cities including Porto, Seville, Cologne, Vigo, and Brest, as well as international exhibitions in Montevideo and Costa Rica. He now lives and teaches art in Cádiz.

Mr Chaves is best known for his paintings and prints depicting urban landscapes, particularly city views from rooftops. His work frequently features scenes of Cádiz, Seville, Vigo, and Berlin. While his earlier works focused on daytime cityscapes, recent paintings include figures and nocturnal scenes.

In addition to his rooftop paintings, he also creates beach scenes, portraits, and three-dimensional pieces known as “boxes” that portray landscapes.

His figurative style blends traditional influences with touches of Neo-Cubism and Impressionism, using light to evoke a dreamlike atmosphere.

Mr Chaves won first prize at the 2016 International Art Exhibition in Gibraltar with his painting Cadiz.