Gwanak-gu and Malaga City, Picasso's Hometown, Create Starlit Naecheon Photo Spot Together

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Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) partnered with Malaga City, Spain, and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Korea to create a photo spot infused with the spirit of Spain and Picasso along the Starlit Naerimcheon Stream.

Malaga City, Spain, conducts an annual cultural project in collaboration with the Pablo Picasso Foundation and others to create graffiti-style murals.

The mural project selects one top-ranking country from each continent that visits Spain to promote the initiative. Following Shanghai, China (2021), Basel, Switzerland (2022), and Bern, Germany (2023), Seoul, Korea, was chosen as the fourth city this year, with Gwanak-gu participating among the districts.

The "Starlit Naerimcheon Picasso Spirit Photo Spot" was created by Fabi?n Bravo Guerrero (artist name KATO), a famous graffiti artist from Seville, Spain, who visited Korea to work on the project.

The Picasso spirit photo spot was established around the Sinlim Bridge area of Starlit Naerimcheon Stream, incorporating Spanish culture into the murals and benches.

On the 3rd, the district completed the Picasso spirit photo spot and held an opening ceremony. Attendees included Guillermo Kirkpatrick, Spanish Ambassador to Korea; Roger Royo, Representative of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Korea; Jacobo Florido G?mez, Deputy Mayor of Malaga; Angie Moreno, Deputy Mayor of Seville; and Marian Aguilar, Deputy Mayor of C?rdoba.

Park Jun-hee, Mayor of Gwanak-gu, looking at the Picasso urban art mural

The event featured ▲a welcome speech by Gwanak-gu ▲presentation of appreciation plaques ▲congratulatory speeches by the Spanish Ambassador and Deputy Mayor of Malaga ▲seminars by tourism directors from Malaga, Seville, and C?rdoba ▲and an explanation of the artist’s work, providing an opportunity for cultural exchange between Gwanak-gu and Spain.

District Mayor Park Jun-hee stated, “This project is a monumental event that has formed cultural ties between Gwanak-gu and Malaga, Seville, and C?rdoba in Spain,” adding, “We hope the photo spot infused with Picasso’s spirit along Starlit Naerimcheon will offer local residents and visitors a new cultural experience.”