Fernando Prini Betés, Artistic Icon of Málaga's Holy Week, Passes Away

Málaga/The Holy Week Brotherhoods Association of Málaga has announced with deep regret the passing of Fernando Prini Betés, a renowned brotherhood designer, poster artist, and "a key figure in contemporary Andalusian sacred art." "One of the most notable contemporary artistic figures in Andalusia," the institution notes, expressing their sorrow by joining in the mourning and asking for prayers for his soul.

Born in Málaga in 1961, Fernando Prini lived during his childhood on the streets of Santa Lucía and Azucena, in the parish of Santos Mártires. Deeply rooted in the brotherhood culture, he was a member of the Archbrotherhood of Passion, serving on its board for several years, of Dolores de San Juan, and of the Royal Brotherhood of El Rocío de Málaga.

A self-taught enthusiast of religious art, he balanced his creative work with his job as an industrial technical engineer at the multinational DENSO TEN (formerly Fujitsu Spain), a company he had been linked to since 1988. His love for drawing and sacred art manifested from a very young age, beginning his artistic career at just 21 years old, in 1982, by designing a crown for María Santísima del Amor Doloroso (Passion).

Over more than four decades, Fernando Prini left a profound mark on the brotherhood heritage of Málaga and other localities, with designs of crowns, mantles, canopies, powers, banners, tunics, Rocío carts, or processional thrones. Among his most outstanding works is the throne of the Most Holy Christ Resurrected, titular of the Brotherhoods Association, premiered during Holy Week 2019.

He was also the author of the official poster for the Holy Week of Málaga in 2022, after being proposed by the president of the Association, Pablo Atencia, and unanimously approved in an extraordinary session held in San Julián.