There are places that aren't discovered with a simple visit, but rather when someone stops to observe them calmly. That is precisely what the exhibition 'Under the Arcades of Time' proposes , a collection of watercolors and drawings by journalist and artist Juanjo Ventura that invites us to rediscover the Plaza Porticada of Garrovillas de Alconétar, one of the most outstanding architectural ensembles in Extremadura.
The exhibition, organized by the Alconétar Cultural Association, can be visited from August 1st to August 15th at the town's Cultural Center, with free admission. It features around thirty works created with pencil, ink, and watercolor , in which the artist captures not only the architecture, but also the light, textures, and atmosphere of a space that has remained virtually unchanged for centuries.
A look at heritage through urban sketching
The exhibition's central theme is urban sketching, a discipline that champions drawing directly from life as a way to understand the environment. Ventura doesn't aim for a photographic reproduction of the buildings , but rather to capture the essence of each corner: the way light falls on the stone, the daily rhythm of the streets, and the relationship between the architecture and its inhabitants.
The artist himself explains: “I don’t consider myself a painter, but rather someone who enjoys learning. I’ve spent my whole life telling stories through journalism, and since 2024, I’ve also tried to do so through urban sketching. Urban sketching has revealed to me a different way of observing places: it forces you to stop, to understand the architecture, and to let time become part of each work.”
The art of observing: the philosophy of Juanjo Ventura
A graduate in Information Sciences from the Complutense University of Madrid, Juanjo Ventura has worked for over three decades at El Periódico Extremadura. Alongside his studies, he has cultivated urban sketching and watercolor painting , disciplines that now take center stage in this exhibition dedicated to one of the region's most unique heritage sites.
For Ventura, each drawing begins long before the first stroke, in the time spent observing the light, the proportions, and the relationship between spaces. The exhibition thus becomes an exercise in observation and an invitation to reflect on a heritage of extraordinary historical and artistic value.
A tribute to the Plaza Porticada
The exhibition's main focus is the Plaza Porticada of Garrovillas de Alconétar, considered one of the most representative monumental ensembles in Extremadura. Its arcades, facades, and balconies are depicted from unusual perspectives , combining the rigor of architectural drawing with the spontaneity of a travel sketchbook.
The title 'Under the arcades of time' precisely summarizes that intention to build a bridge between the past and the present, using drawing as a vehicle to preserve collective memory and to value heritage from a contemporary sensibility.
The exhibition, which is free to the public, will be open at the Garrovillas de Alconétar Cultural Center until August 15th, offering residents and visitors a chance to rediscover one of the region's most important historical sites from a fresh perspective. Juanjo Ventura's watercolors invite viewers to pause, look up, and discover the rich history hidden among the arcades, squares, and streets of Garrovillas.