Málaga through 45 paintings: from Casa de Socorro to the interior of the Cathedral

Málaga can be explored from a different perspective this month through 45 paintings depicting streets, buildings, monuments and familiar corners of the city. The Mingorance Galleries at the Municipal Archive are hosting a free exhibition until 18 October, featuring works selected from the ninth Painting Competition organised by the BBVA Veterans Association.

The exhibition brings together 45 works chosen from the 60 entries submitted this year and also marks the 8th Conchi Mendoza Memorial.

Artists from Málaga and other parts of Spain have used different techniques to interpret the same subject: the city itself, its people, architecture, light and urban landscape.

Casa de Socorro wins first prize

One of Málaga’s historic buildings is the subject of this year’s winning work.

Artist Eduardo Hidalgo Lupianes received first prize for his painting “Casa de Socorro”.

The work offers a personal interpretation of this familiar city landmark and leads the group of award-winning pieces on display.

Second prize went to Antonio Cantero Tapia for “Interior de la Catedral”, a painting inspired by the interior of one of Málaga’s most recognisable monuments.

Meanwhile, Francisco Jesús Rodríguez Ruiz received the third prize distinction for “Cámara de Comercio”.

Plaza de la Merced and the Alcazaba among the finalists

Other well-known Málaga locations also appear among the finalist works.

“Jacarandas en la Plaza de la Merced”, by María Firsova Chebakova, was selected as one of the finalists.

Another finalist is “La fuente del Pez-La Alcazaba”, by Claudia Ferrand Sanjuan.

The third finalist work is “Iglesias de Málaga”, by Francisco Segura Fernández.

These paintings, together with the prize-winning pieces and the other selected works, are included in the exhibition catalogue.

45 different ways of looking at Málaga

The common thread throughout the exhibition is Málaga itself.

The competition requires the works to have some connection with the city, its light, inhabitants, streets, buildings or monuments.

This allows every artist to start from the same broad setting while interpreting it through a different technique and personal style.

The result is a visual journey through Málaga in which familiar places can look completely different depending on the person painting them.

Rather than simply reproducing the city, the exhibition brings together many individual ways of seeing it.

A jacaranda becomes the image of this year’s exhibition

The organisers have also brought back a work from the previous edition to represent this year’s competition.

The image used for the promotional material is “Jacaranda”, by artist Francisco Navas Amaya.

The painting won first prize in the previous edition and has now been chosen as the main visual identity for the ninth competition.

Jacaranda trees form one of Málaga’s most recognisable urban landscapes during flowering season, particularly in central squares and avenues.

A competition that also remembers Conchi Mendoza

The exhibition also has a commemorative element.

This year marks the 8th Conchi Mendoza Memorial, held in memory of a former member of the BBVA Veterans Association and wife of Manuel Quintanilla, who served as president of the organisation for more than two decades.

Conchi Mendoza died in 2010 and her name remains closely linked to this cultural initiative.

The competition is part of the activities organised by the BBVA Veterans Association, whose members include current employees, early retirees and retired workers from the bank.

One of the aims of the exhibition is to share an artistic tribute to Málaga with the wider public.

A free exhibition in the city centre

The exhibition is being held at the Mingorance Galleries of Málaga Municipal Archive, located at 23 Alameda Principal.

Its central location makes it easy to include as part of a walk through Málaga’s historic centre.

The exhibition will remain open until 18 October 2026 and admission is free.

The Municipal Agenda currently lists opening hours from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

The official City Council press release gives those same hours for weekdays, while the Municipal Agenda currently displays them from Monday to Sunday, so visitors planning to attend at the weekend may wish to check the latest opening information in advance.

Practical information

Exhibition: 9th Painting Competition of the BBVA Veterans Association – 8th Conchi Mendoza Memorial.

Dates: 5 to 18 October 2026.

Venue: Mingorance Galleries at Málaga Municipal Archive.

Address: 23 Alameda Principal, Málaga.

Works on display: 45 paintings selected from 60 entries.

Admission: Free.

Theme: Málaga, its streets, buildings, monuments, people and urban landscape.

Málaga seen through its own landmarks

The exhibition offers a chance to discover how a familiar building, a frequently visited square or the interior of a landmark can be transformed through an artist’s perspective.

Casa de Socorro, the Cathedral, the Chamber of Commerce, Plaza de la Merced and the Alcazaba are among the locations reinterpreted inside the Mingorance Galleries.

Until 18 October, 45 works make it possible to explore Málaga without leaving the Municipal Archive, showing that the same city can have as many different versions as there are people willing to stop and observe it.

Original source

The original source of the information is Málaga City Council, through its Culture and Historical Heritage Department.

The City Council published the official information on 5 October 2026 regarding the exhibition for the 9th Painting Competition of the BBVA Veterans Association – 8th Conchi Mendoza Memorial.

The official announcement confirms that 45 paintings were selected from a total of 60 entries, identifies the prize-winning and finalist works, and states that the exhibition will remain at the Mingorance Galleries of the Municipal Archive until 18 October.