Culture Club

A private gallery in Tarifa

A new cultural centre has opened in Tarifa with a whole line up of events from classical to Tibetan music to art and photography exhibitions, workshops for everyone and kids events.

Maximilian Pfalzgrof came to Tarifa because he liked the place. He could be a surfer, typical of the thousands that land here every year but he isn't. Artist, wood sculptor and decorator, Pfalzgrof has successfully dipped his hand into most artistic genres.

In 1986 he visited Tarifa for the first time, and after living in the Canary Islands for a couple of years, both he and his wife Isabel de la Osa, who is also a painter, realised that the Costa de la Luz was the place where they wanted to be.

Maximilian worked as a decorator for a long time in and around Algeciras, doing up hotels and pubs, but five years ago he decided that he wanted to get out of the decorating business and concentrate on his painting and wood sculpting.

The idea of setting up a private gallery in Tarifa began to grow on him, and a couple of years ago the chance of buying what is now his home and workplace came up. This beautiful old building, set in the heart of Tarifa, was commissioned by the Church in the 16th century.

Basically, it is made up of various cellars that were used to store grain. In the nineteenth century, it was expropriated by the Town Hall. After that, it was abandoned for years until 1976, when someone came up with the bright idea of turning it into the first discotheque ever in town.

It didn't take long for the neighbours to start complaining and that was the end of that. When the property came up on the market, Maximilian and his wife didn't think twice about it and wheeled and dealed until it was theirs. They started up the Silos Cultural Association with the idea of not only exhibiting their own work, but also that of other artists. However, what have really taken off are the classical music concerts that are held in the gallery once a month.

Maximilian is dead chuffed with the gallery's success, taking into account it only officially opened in September 2003. Even the locals are impressed with the idea of a Cultural Association in town, and like the idea of mingling with the foreigners in a cultural atmosphere rather than on the beach, which was generally the case up to now. Many big names in the art world have exhibited here, the most recent being Oscar Carrasco with his exceptional and stunning photographs.

The gallery hosts five exhibitions every year, apart from the permanent show by Isabel H.de la Osa and Maximilian Pfalzgraf.

Isabel H. de la Osa works in a contemporary abstract style, using oils and watercolours to produce colourful and subtle paintings. Maximilian's work is realistic, using the techniques of the Old Masters with modern motifs.

Maximilian is funny, has a great sense of humour, a fantastic house and workplace, and is one of the most enthusiastic people I have met in a long time. I wish him and his wife the best of luck, and I have no doubt that I will be in and out of Silos Gallery regularly in the future.

Silos Gallery: C/ de los Silos, 19, Tarifa T: 956 68 46 85 www.silosgallery.com