Art and architecture lovers will now be able to appreciate a new sculpture that has just been inaugurated by deputy mayor Rafael Piña. ‘La danza’ (the dance) by Vicente de Espona was forgotten and shut away in the municipal storerooms until it was recently discovered and restored to its former glory.
Vicente de Espona (1918-1995), originally from Valencia, moved to San Pedro in 1971 and worked and lived here until he died. Last year marked a hundred years since the day of the sculptor and painter’s birth, and to commemorate this date and pay tribute to him the Tenencia de Alcaldía San Pedro Alcántara decided to restore one of his works and place it at the ‘Las Palmeras’ viewing point on the boulevard—where two of his sculptures have already found a peaceful home: ‘Mujer pájaro’ y ‘Regreso del Olivar’.
Ana María Muñoz, Vicente´s widow, was invited to the inauguration. She was very touched and pleased to see that her husband’s work is being cherished and that all his hard work and years dedicated to San Pedro hasn’t been forgotten. She also read a letter from one of her husbands’ closest friends, Fransisco Moyano of the Banus Fondation: “The best tribute that can be offered to Vicente is to endow his work with a museum space that houses his creations and make his wish come true that it forms part of the cultural heritage of this municipality.” The mayor also added that plans for a museum dedicated to the artist’s work had to be put on hold due to planning reasons, but he reassured that an alternative location will be chosen. Additionally, the authorities decided that one of Vicente’s most famous sculptures that currently stands on the roundabout on the bypass, ‘Sinesis’, will be relocated to the central roundabout of the boulevard to complete this open-air museum. As an extra mark of respect, the balcony that is a viewpoint over the boulevard where ‘La danza’ has now found its permanent place, will be renamed after the artist: Vicente de Espona.