Hidalgo - Vélez-Málaga's fantastic artist

A leisurely stroll in Vélez-Málaga took us to the Convento de San Francisco and the magical world of  local painter and sculptor Antonio Hidalgo.

As luck would have it, when we enquired for more information about the artist he was there to provide the answers.

Hidalgo's art takes realistic local landscapes and adds the weird and wonderful to them. As he describes it, "realismo-magico". If you know the area you can recognise the streets, beaches and monuments of Vélez, Torre del Mar, Almayate and other areas. What you won't have seen are colourful unicorns or people in 17th century dress listening to their radio.

Each composition is colourful and delightfully weird. They are not planned as such, "It's just something that comes out of my head", explained Hidalgo; but there are consistent themes: the dress, the juxtaposition of old and modern, local landscape, magical elements such as unicorns or walking clams and musical instruments.

I asked Hidalgo about the instruments. "I love their form", he said. "I cannot play any instrument, not piano, guitar, violin, nothing; but I love music and particularly the form of the instruments. I also like the plasticity of radios" - something else that occurs repeatedly.

The playful art is beautifully constructed and vibrant with colour.  If you have the chance, pop along to the Convento de San Francisco before 12th December and enter El Universo Mágico de Antonio Hidalgo. Entrance is free.

Antonio Hidalgo - centre