Free Torremolinos exhibition turns old fruit crates into 32 treasured fishing boats

Imagine the wooden crates that once held fruit being given a second life as finely built fishing boats. Visitors to Torremolinos can see exactly that right now, but be quick as the exhibition closes on October 30.

A free show inside Torremolinos town hall

Artist Juan Antonio Guiles Garcia fills the first floor of the town hall with perfectly hand crafted ‘Jábegas de nuestra costa’(traditional fishing boats from along the coast). Entry costs nothing, and you can drop in Monday to Friday between 9am and 13:30pm.

Built piece by piece from recycled wood

Each of the 32 reproductions is made by hand, mostly from timber salvaged from fruit boxes. Every model is carefully put together one piece at a time, following the principles and features of the original boats. Painting and finishing then give each one its own character, so these are individual creations rather than copies of one another.

Why the jabega means so much to Malaga

The jabega is the traditional fishing boat of the Malaga coast, and some believe its roots go back to the Phoenicians. Today it is one of the province’s best-loved symbols. Guiles Garcíi’s models are so much more than pretty ornaments. They help keep the memory of those old boats, and the fishing life around them, alive for the next generation.

An artist with the sea in his blood

A love of the water has stayed with Juan Antonio since childhood, and this collection grew from it. His fascination began with watching the real boats on the beaches of El Palo. He then travelled the length of the Malaga coast, studying the different types of jabega, their shapes, decoration and colours.

You may already know his work without realising it. He donated the boat displayed in the park where visitors enter Torremolinos from the motorway.

Planning your visit

Opening hours are weekday mornings only, so it fits neatly into a trip to the town hall or a stroll through the centre. Take your time over each hull, and bring friends or family who enjoy local history. It is a gentle way to spend an hour and discover how humble crates became a tribute to the people who fished our waters.