Canary Islands Printmakers Unite for Peace in Jordan
The collective exhibition “Grabadores por la Paz” (Printmakers for Peace), organized by the Gran Canaria Island Council’s Printmaking Workshop, will be showcased at the Cervantes Institute in Amman, Jordan, from November 10 to December 18 this year. The announcement was made by Yolanda Soler Onís, director of the Amman Cervantes Institute, during the Annual Meeting of Cervantes Institute Directors held in La Laguna from July 27-30.
A Cross-Cultural Artistic Collaboration
The exhibition brings together 25 Canarian artists and a dozen Jordanian printmakers in a unique cultural exchange. This initiative was spearheaded by multidisciplinary Canarian artist Fátima Sulimán Afonso, of Jordanian descent, who was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in 1967. The project also features resident artists from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, and Syria, all of whom have been working since April at the Gran Canaria Island Council’s Printmaking Workshop under director Ana de La Puente. Their shared theme? “World Peace,” expressed through 40×60 cm paper artworks.
Cultural Celebrations Across Borders
In November, Amman’s Odeon will host another Canarian cultural gem: “Chavela El Último Trago,” a performance by Caco Senante and Mariela Köhn, produced by Amalurfilms and Lola Escena. Soler Onís emphasized how this event reflects the Cervantes Institute’s pan-Hispanic mission while coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mexico and Jordan.
Canary Islands: A Cultural Bridge
The recent directors’ meeting at the University of La Laguna highlighted the Canary Islands’ growing role as a cultural connector. José Segura Clavel, director of Casa África, underscored this in his opening speech. Over 70 institute leaders gathered to plan priorities for the upcoming academic year across their 100+ global locations in 56 countries.
Honoring Canarian Cultural Legacy
The inaugural session, attended by Queen Letizia, paid special tribute to writer Alonso Quesada on the centenary of his death. Distinguished guests included University of La Laguna rector Francisco J. García, Canary Islands president Fernando Clavijo, and La Laguna mayor Luis Yeray Gutiérrez, among other notable figures.
Two Decades of Cultural Ambassadorship
Soler Onís, who left the Canary Islands twenty years ago to lead various Cervantes Institutes (Manchester, Warsaw, Marrakech, Beirut, and Amman), has consistently promoted Canarian culture through literary events, sports conferences, and art exhibitions. Highlights include English translations of works by Luis León Barreto, photographic exhibitions on Canarian wrestling, and large-format painting and photography shows like “Canarias Paisaje Íntimo.”
Musical Bridges to the World
Canarian music has also made its mark globally through the Cervantes network. Groups like Poemus paid tribute to Miguel Hernández, Altraste presented their album “Mudanzas” in Warsaw, while El Colorao and Germán López brought the distinctive sounds of the timple (Canarian ukulele) to Poland and Lebanon respectively—the latter performing at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Baalbek’s Temple of Bacchus.
The Artist Behind the Peace Project
Exhibition curator Fátima Suleiman, who divides her time between Jordan and the Canaries, brings a wealth of international artistic experience. Trained in Fine Arts and Interior Architecture in Jordan, with advanced studies in mural finishes and artistic ceramics, this multidisciplinary artist has worked with internationally renowned masters in printmaking, Chinese painting, and Islamic ornamentation. Her impressive career includes winning a gold medal at age 15 in a Tokyo art competition and teaching printmaking workshops across Gran Canaria’s cultural institutions.
