Jameos del agua

Description

The work of the artist César Manrique is inextricably linked to the island of Lanzarote. Born on this island, César Manrique moved to Madrid and New York, where he became involved in the artistic avant-garde. In 1966, he decided to return to his homeland, where he created a piece of work that blended nature, art, and landscape. The artist loved the beauty of the island, and at a time when rapid development was beginning to damage the environment, he was a strong advocate of landscape conservation through his actions and his art. Perhaps the most representative of these was the so-called ‘Jameos del Agua’. Inside a naturally formed, tubular volcanic cavern, Manrique, alongside architects Jesús Soto and Eduardo Cáceres, ingeniously designed a series of spaces. These allowed for the human appreciation of geological formations that were not only inaccessible but also gradually deteriorating. With an architectural language that draws on both the island’s vernacular architecture and modern organic architecture, the site seems to have emerged spontaneously, following its natural geological evolution. This is due to the economy of means and materials, most of which are extracted and processed by hand. It also appears that the vegetation planted there has sprung up organically on the site. The allure of the cave, enhanced by the magical atmosphere of reflections and the interplay of light and shadow, transforms it into a human habitat that does not compromise the intrinsic value and integrity of the site. A lesson in art from Manrique that deserves our attention.