CAESAR MANRIQUE FOUNDATION

Located 5 kilometres north of Arrecife, in Taro de Tahiche, the house of César Manrique is the one where he lived for twenty years and became a museum since his death in 1992. It was built in 1968 in a lava flow created by the eruption that occurred in the years 1730-1736 and is the first and perhaps the best example of the architecture to which Manrique devoted himself upon his return to his native island, but planned from his stay in New York. According to his wish, it was to "mark a symbiosis between art and nature". The interior uses the black basalt of the site, contrasting sharply with the walls as white as those of the traditional houses on the island, except where they are decorated with abstract frescoes. Inside, in the painter's former studio, his personal collection is on display, including his own works, but also those of Picasso, Miró, Tápies, etc. The underground level benefits from five volcanic bubbles in which are arranged lounges. You can also visit the swimming pool, the small dance floor, the oven and the barbecue. All this amidst an abundant vegetation of fruit trees and various plants that contrast with the darkness of the lava. The foundation also includes a large room for temporary exhibitions of painters, sculptors and photographers. During the visit, we go from the inside to the outside to finish with a large mural fresco, created by Manrique and dominating a garden of aquatic pools.