- ‘Quino. Mafalda and much more’ is a unique exhibition organised by the València Port Authority (PAV) to discover the career of the cartoonist Quino, father of Mafalda, and to invite visitors to reflect and think critically.
The president of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV), Joan Calabuig, encouraged the citizens of Sagunto and the Camp de Morvedre to visit the exhibition to “let themselves be carried away and advised by the incisive point of view of a universal child like Mafalda”.
Calabuig pointed out that “this exhibition is part of the PAV’s city-port project to bring culture and the port world closer to the citizens. We are working on these exhibitions so that the residents of Sagunto can enjoy them”.
Quino. Mafalda and much more’ can be visited free of charge at the Mario Monreal Cultural Centre from today until 30th June from Monday to Saturday between 9.00 am and 9.00 pm
Mafalda and her friends Felipe, Manolito, Susanita, Miguelito and Libertad, her brother Guille, and her parents Raquel and Alberto, are already in Sagunto to make visitors to the Mario Monreal Cultural Centre laugh and reflect. The characters that the cartoonist Quino devised to offer his particular vision of the world are a reference for all generations. Through his cartoons, the Argentinian creator tackles issues such as the environment, social justice and inequality that have transcended time and are still very much relevant today.
The exhibition ‘Quino. Mafalda and much more’ opened its doors today in Sagunto, an exhibition visited this morning by the president of the València Port Authority (PAV), Joan Calabuig, who highlighted “the quality of this exhibition, perfect for enjoying the career of Quino and his iconic character Mafalda, whose cartoons are still highly topical. And an opportunity for those who did not know the world of Mafalda to delve into this heritage of world graphic humour”.
During his visit to the Mario Monreal Cultural Centre, Calabuig recalled that “this project is part of the city-port relationship of the PAV to enrich and bring culture and the port world closer to the citizens. We are very committed to the collaboration between the city and the port. The most important exhibitions organised and promoted by the Port Authority are designed with València, Sagunto and Gandia in mind. We work so that the residents of Sagunto and Gandia, as well as those of the regions of Camp de Morvedre and La Safor, can enjoy exhibitions that are becoming increasingly prestigious among the cultural community of the Valencian Community, and even of Spain. For example, this exhibition on Quino, which has already been in Alcalá de Henares and in which other Spanish municipalities have shown interest”.
Other exhibitions organised by the PAV have already been a great success in Sagunto,” Calabuig said, “such as those of Peridis and Forges. We are convinced that this one will be too. We invite all the people of Sagunto and the citizens of Morvedre and visitors to let themselves be carried away and advised by the incisive point of view of a universal child like Mafalda”. The head of Valenciaport stressed “the collaboration with the Sagunto City Council and its citizens to continue working actively in all areas such as culture, economics and trade”.
The visit was also attended by the mayor of Sagunto, Darío Moreno, the secretary of the Quevedo Institute of the Arts of Humour, Juan García, and the curator and coordinator of the exhibition Ester Medán. Quino. Mafalda and many more’ is organised by the PAV with the collaboration of the Quevedo Institute of the Arts of Humour of the University of Alcalá de Henares and Sagunto City Council.
For his part, Darío Moreno thanked the “collaboration between the PAV and the City Council in all areas. This exhibition is an example of the Port Authority’s commitment to culture and its environment. This exhibition is very useful for learning about Quino’s career through Mafalda, a character who is part of the heritage of humanity”. Along these lines, the Councillor for Culture of Sagunto, Asun Moll, pointed out that “it is a source of pride to host these exhibitions organised by the PAV, which is already the third in our city” and emphasised “the cultural commitment which the port is making”.
Mafalda, more topical than ever
The exhibition includes more than 200 cartoons and documents that retrace the life and professional career of this world reference in graphic humour, creator of a style of acid and biting humour that deals with issues such as inequality, the environment, social justice and the political and economic world. His vignettes have transcended time to remain fully current and, as well as making visitors laugh, they make us reflect and encourage our critical thinking.
The exhibition is divided into different sections, such as Quino’s Humour, which explains his technique and the meaning of his works. In the section dedicated to Mafalda, whose comic strips were published between 1964 and 1973, visitors can learn about the universe surrounding this world comic icon through a selection of cartoons and documents. In the Homage to Quino section, the awards received by the Argentinian cartoonist and the recognition of society are on display.
The exhibition ‘Quino. Mafalda y mucho más’ can be visited free of charge at the Mario Monreal Cultural Centre from today until the 30th of June from Monday to Saturday between 9.00 am and 9.00 pm. Visitors will be able to download explanatory audio files to their mobile phones using a QR code. There will also be a Braille corner for the blind and visually impaired, and a section for children where they can carry out various activities and interact with the characters of the Argentinian cartoonist.
The exhibition dedicated to Mafalda and her friends has already been on display at the Clock Building in the Port of Valencia, where it was visited by more than 25,000 people, at the facilities of the University of Alcalá de Henares, where 16,000 visitors came to see it, and at the Casa de Cultura Marqués de González de Quirós in Gandia, which received 12,000 lovers of the iconic character created by Quino.