Alegoria de San Juan

Alegoría de San Juan (Allegory of Saint John) draws on the time-honoured celebration of the Night of San Juan , as observed in many regions of Spain: the summer solstice is celebrated there with bonfires on beaches and in town squares, fireworks, dancing, outdoor feasts and ritual purifications. People leap over fires and waves to seek good fortune and have their wishes granted – a festival of life, light and transformation.

In this drawing, I interpret this night as a space full of contrasts and symbolism: between the bull and the bullfighter, life and death, light and darkness. The figures intertwine in a mythical allegory in which moths and night stand as symbols of transience, attraction and transition. The fire of the sun, the sparks of celebration and the darkness of the night reflect the eternal tension between existence and transience.

The work explores the dynamics of movement, light and spacethat characterise the festival and its rituals. At the same time, it reflects on the human experience of life, caught between joy and danger, between renewal and finitude. ‘Alegoría de San Juan’ is thus an invitation to experience the connection between culture, nature and existential symbolism – a meditation on the beauty of the moment, the power of tradition and the universal experience of light and shadow.

Above all, however, I dedicate this drawing to my father, who was born on 23 July and who inspired me to start painting bullfighters. 

Size: 50 × 65 cm

Year created: 2025

Technique: Pastel chalk with water, watercolours and coloured pencils

Time taken: 14 hours

This work is currently on display in the exhibition ‘La luz de tu querer’ (The Light of Your Love) at Milias Coffee, Wuppertal Central Station, until 2 January 2026.

Photographic documentation:

Documentation of the opening (24 October 2025) of the exhibition ‘La luz de tu querer’, shown at Milias Coffee. It is recommended that the picture be hung in a well-lit room so that the colours stand out better, as it is painted on dark paper. 

Shipping:

The artwork will be dispatched with a certificate of authenticity and a signature on the reverse. Dispatch can take place from 1 January. Thank you for your understanding.