Yzabelle Bostyn
ANTONI Montanez has been a carpenter all his life.
Whether creating kitchen countertops or pieces of furniture, he was always inspired by art.
But it wasn’t until he retired some 20 years ago that his love affair with craftsmanship really flourished.
At 50-years-old, he decided to begin creating his own pieces, including his famous house museum.
In El Valdes, Malaga, the house pays homage to his hometown and ‘preserves the essence and history of El Valdes’.
The project took over a year of tireless days and restless nights to build.
Many of the materials were recycled from old bricks, glass and windows to make a structure which ‘could last more than a 100 years’.
Inspired by modernism, the house is decorated with tiles crafted into intricate mosaics reminiscent of Catalan artist, Antoni Guadi – earning him the nickname ‘Guadi of Axarquia’.
Inside, the museum houses around 200 pieces by local artists, each chosen to enrich the cultural legacy of El Valdes and his own family.
In a recent documentary on Montanez’s work he said: “I try to represent my family in every project. The pieces speak for themselves.
“For example, at my second house in Torremolinos I have two storks carrying babies that represent my children as well as pieces dedicated to my grandchildren and wife.”
The museum is only open on the first Saturday of every month, from 10am-2pm.
Lucky visitors will also get to meet the artist himself, who likes to greet his guests personally.
Some 20 years after Montanez first started his house museum, the 72-year-old’s legacy can be felt all over the town.
The entrance is decorated with his art and he has even donated three years of work to a local playground.
Dedicated to making sure the area’s history is passed down to future generations, the park now has a mural paying tribute to the town’s stonecutters, as well as mosaic sculptures and benches.
Now, Montanez is opening a second house museum in Torremolinos.
The ‘unique’ museum has taken six years of work, with its intricate mosaic designs and extensive art collection.
The museum will host a range of exhibitions on topics from toys to local history, representing a ‘cultural shift’ in the town.
The artist hopes this new venture will ‘spark the imagination’ of Torremolinos residents and become a ‘cultural epicentre’ for the region.
His wife, Charo Garcia Olmedo, said: “I get worried when he’s thinking. Because when he thinks, he’s imagining another project. He doesn’t do anything else, he can’t stop.”
According to the artist, the new museum will open within the next year, but no date has been confirmed.
He hopes that even after his two houses are complete, he will continue to work on sculptures and other works of art.
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