PRESENTACIÓN DEL CARTEL Y PREGÓN DE LA FESTIVIDAD DE LA VIRGEN DEL CARMEN DE NERJA 2026

“Balconies to the Sea” is the artwork featured on the poster announcing the festivities in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Nerja. It is a digital illustration developed from a photograph, combining a classic and refined composition with a contemporary visual language, capable of effectively adapting to new media and communication formats. Conceptually, the artwork draws its inspiration from the Book of Revelation, which describes a woman “clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of stars on her head,” iconography traditionally associated with the Immaculate Conception. The image of the Virgin is represented through these symbolic attributes, along with the scapular, a distinctive emblem of Carmelite devotion. The figure of Our Lady emerges from the waters of the sea, an element that reinforces her role as protector of the seafaring community and the coastal town of Nerja. She is represented by two of her most recognizable symbols: the Balcony of Europe and the silhouette of the Sierra Almijara mountain range. The waves surrounding the scene symbolize the prayers, anxieties, and hardships of the people of Nerja, who reach the feet of the Virgin seeking refuge under her maternal protection. In the sky of the composition, an ornamental motif unfolds, constructed from spheres that simultaneously form a starry firmament and a cluster of jasmine blossoms. This device creates an interesting visual effect, allowing the viewer to recognize different shapes depending on their vantage point, thus enriching the symbolic interpretation of the work. The main scene is completed by seven white swallows flying around the Blessed Virgin, representing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as the seven siblings who make up my maternal family, which is closely linked to the brotherhood and the sea. The composition is framed by three semicircular arches, reminiscent of those found on the Balcón de Europa promenade, currently the headquarters of the Encarnita Kronox Three Kings Association. From this location, the traditional petal shower in honor of the patron saint of this maritime brotherhood takes place every year, establishing a direct link between the artwork and one of the most moving expressions of the festival. For me, it has been a profound honor to announce, through this artwork, the procession of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a devotion that has been part of my life since childhood and which I inherited from my maternal family, closely linked to the sea. My grandfather José, a fisherman by trade, passed on to our family that special feeling of closeness to the Virgin and the maritime traditions of Nerja. www.miranerja.com https://www.amigaradio.es The Balcony of Europe https://www.nerja.es https://cuevadenerja.es