The Miradas exhibition in Alicante has closed with a strong public response, attracting 4,644 visitors and reinforcing its role as one of the province’s most distinctive cultural and social initiatives.
Organised by the Jorge Alió Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness, the exhibition brought together art, inclusion and visual health awareness under the theme One Look, One Emotion. It was held at Alicante’s municipal exhibition hall La Lonja del Pescado and formed part of the foundation’s 30th anniversary programme.
The show featured 125 works from the 14th National and 11th International Miradas Painting Awards. According to the foundation, the event once again demonstrated the power of contemporary art to reflect on vision, perception and the relationship between people and their surroundings.
María López Iglesias, executive president of the Alió Foundation and director of the competition, said the exhibition aimed to highlight “three decades of connection between contemporary art, social inclusion and awareness of visual health.”
The 2026 edition included award-winning and selected works from the competition, as well as the historical Miradas collection, children’s creations and a special tribute painting by José Luis López Saura dedicated to the victims of the 2024 DANA floods. The exhibition also featured Miradas por la Paz, a selection linked to Matt Lamb’s international Umbrellas for Peace movement, created with his grandson Matthew Gabler.
One of the most notable aspects of this year’s programme was its inclusive approach. Free guided visits were organised with 30 visually impaired participants from ONCE, along with sessions dedicated to children’s artistic talent. These activities became some of the most engaging parts of the exhibition and were praised by visitors as “fantastic,” “spectacular,” “educational,” “enriching” and “inspiring.”
Visitors particularly valued the variety and quality of the works, the layout of the exhibition across the different rooms and the overall experience of the visit. The foundation also highlighted the work of curator Juana María Balsalobre, a historian and contemporary art specialist, as well as the members of the jury.
López Iglesias said the highly positive public response would encourage the foundation to continue promoting similar initiatives. She also noted that 60% of surveyed visitors were previously unaware of the foundation and its social, scientific and blindness-prevention work, showing the exhibition’s importance as a public outreach platform beyond the artistic sphere.
The exhibition was one of several initiatives marking the Jorge Alió Foundation’s 30th anniversary. Another anniversary event, Women at the Jorge Alió Foundation, remains on display until 27 June at the La Valona building of Miguel Hernández University.
Since its creation in 1998, the Miradas Painting Competition has involved more than 2,500 artists. Its collection now includes 66 award-winning works and 109 donated pieces, with 247 participating works published in different formats throughout its history. The project has also generated 36 travelling exhibitions in Spain and abroad.
More information is available from the Jorge Alió Foundation on 965 266 919 or at www.fundacionalio.com.
