Enmascarados, a different perspective on the world of insects, by Paco Civantos

6–28 June 2026

Paco Civantos uncovers scenes that might otherwise go unnoticed and transforms them into visual spectacles. The minute takes on a monumental scale; what is normally overlooked is revealed.

One of the most striking features of these photographs is the insects’ demeanour. Their postures, their frozen gestures, the ways in which they hide or confront their surroundings create an unsettling sense of human likeness. They appear as characters frozen in the middle of a silent performance: guardians, acrobats, warriors, living masks. There is an involuntary theatricality about them, a presence that oscillates between fragility and strangeness. Through his photos, he shows us that they are not merely creatures observed from a scientific distance, but figures that seem to return our gaze from their own territory.

Moreover, far from cooling the image, technical precision intensifies its mystery; the extreme detail—the eyes, the antennae, the carapaces, the textures, the colours—opens a path of contemplation in which photography becomes visual thought. Each image reminds us that seeing is not merely recognising, but also allowing oneself to be surprised by that which does not quite fit into our categories.

The garden ceases to be merely a place for a stroll and becomes a laboratory of wonder. In Paco Civantos’ photographs, small life takes on an unexpected grandeur and forces us to look anew at what we thought we knew. For perhaps every mask, even the tiniest, does not hide a face: it invents it.

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.

This exhibition displays period furniture in the room that housed the library of the Casa Palacio in the 19th century. The room can be accessed through a methacrylate tunnel to prevent deterioration of the furniture. This is intended to enhance the value of the elements of this space, which has allowed not only to improve its preservation, but also to generate greater artistic and cultural interest among visitors. Most of this furniture is part of the municipal heritage and dates from the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century. Some of the most noteworthy are the office table of General Espartero, made of oak and of French origin, which served as Jorge Loring's own desk; as well as a mahogany chair that accompanies it. Another valuable element is an English Edward VI style mahogany corner cabinet with built-in bookshelves, display cabinet, table and sofa.