Francisco Civantos. Colópteros en La Concepción

Jun 1st to 30th

"Coleoptera in the Botanic Garden: An intimate glimpse of hidden inhabitants" is the exhibition presented by the Friends of La Concepción Association, which will be on show from 5 to 31 July in the garden's exhibition hall, combining art, science and conservation.

The macro photography of Francisco Civantos brings us closer to a world of small beetles, which often goes unnoticed. In this selection the invertebrates appear in curious, defiant or playful attitudes, capturing intimate moments that awaken our attention and empathy. They also make us reflect on their importance in ecosystems, as pollinators, decomposers and pest controllers.

These portraits, beyond their aesthetic value, challenge us about our relationship with nature. As Wilson (1992) points out, biophilia, our innate affinity for the living - the impulse of association we feel towards other forms of life - manifests itself in the fascination we feel when observing the complexity and diversity of life, even in its smallest forms. In this way, Civantos' photos not only allow us to appreciate the beauty of beetles, but also reveal their crucial role in ecosystems.

In the words of the photographer: "The idea of this exhibition is first of all to show a series of close-up and macro-photographic images of beetles in the botanical garden, incredible beings of just a few millimetres that surround us and sometimes go unnoticed by most people, but the main purpose of these photos, in addition to showing the images, is that they serve to make us increasingly aware that we are surrounded by a world of small beings, extremely important for ecosystems, without which life would be impossible.

According to studies, 30 species of insects disappear every day, and coleoptera as part of them, due to multiple causes (intensive agriculture, pesticides, herbicides, the climate crisis, etc.).

As they are small beings, their extinction goes more unnoticed, but their disappearance is 8 times greater than that of mammals, and their importance is crucial for humanity".

Francisco Civantos. Photographe

The idea of using dolls to recreate the garden's history was conceived by the artist Alberto Martin, who has been putting together displays with Barbie dolls for many years. After studying a number of late 19^th-century photographs, mostly from the Silvela Legacy, he created a series of almost identical scenes using not only the world-famous Barbie but also Ken, Madelman and other similar figures. Sponsored by the Malaga Foundation and the Friends of La Concepcion Association.

The aim of this exhibition is to portray both a key period in the history of La Concepcion and the Bourgeois lifestyle of the time in a way that will appeal to visitors of all ages. All of the materials used in the displays have been recycled: bottle tops, sink racks, clothes pegs, pencil sharpeners, pin cushions etc. Each figure is dressed in a different costume and hat made from dressmakers' cuttings; the hairstyles, fans and parasols sported by the women are all unique and were inspired by 19^th-century clothing catalogues.