Renowned artist José Miguel Masiá Brings Watercolour Magic to Torrevieja

Watercolour artist José Miguel Masiá's remarkable talent will be showcased in a major retrospective at Torrevieja's Virgen del Carmen Cultural Centre, opening on September 8. Mayor Eduardo Dolón and Councillor for Education and Universities Ricardo Recuero will officially unveil the exhibition, Magic of Watercolour: Imagined Reality, at 7pm. Visitors can view the exhibition until October 4.

Curated by Jesucristo Riquelme and organized by the Torrevieja branch of the UNED university, the exhibition features 45 works from Masiá's personal collection and various private collections. Masiá's art explores reality through watercolour, combining light, colour, technique and emotion to create scenes that inspire imaginative interpretations.

Although largely self-taught, Masiá's artistic development was influenced by Moroccan avant-garde watercolourist Moustaphá Ben Lahmar during his time in Morocco. He also drew inspiration from American artist Thomas Schaller, particularly his use of dramatic light and controlled compositions, as well as Uruguayan-born Australian watercolourist Álvaro Castagnet.

Masiá's work has been exhibited in numerous national and international venues, including exhibitions in Fabriano, Italy (2016); Rome (2017); Liège, Belgium (2023); Murcia (1991); Madrid (2013); El Puig, Valencia (2025); and Brioude, France. He has also exhibited alongside Ben Lahmar in Tangier and Casablanca (2018).

The opening ceremony will honor veteran artist Manuel Balaguer, known as "Mamel", who served as the first director of Torrevieja's Municipal Painting School from 1990 to 2011. Balaguer, born in Larache in 1945, is known for his watercolours, transparent engravings, and masterful use of colour. His still-life painting was chosen for the cover of a charitable Vega Baja recipe book.