Documentary on Artist Pepe Dámaso Screened in Tenerife Cultural Outreach Initiative
The Sociedad Centro Icodense in Tenerife recently hosted a screening of the documentary El pintor de calaveras, highlighting the life and work of artist Pepe Dámaso as part of an Island Council-supported initiative to expand cultural outreach.
Cultural outreach in the Canary Islands recently expanded with a screening of the documentary El pintor de calaveras (The Painter of Skulls) at the Sociedad Centro Icodense. Part of a film series supported by the Island Council in northwestern Tenerife, the event offered an in-depth look at the life and work of artist Pepe Dámaso.
Directed by Sigfrid Monleón, the film explores the imagination of the Gran Canarian artist, focusing on his relationship with mortality and cultural heritage. Following the screening, a panel discussion featured documentarian Abel Hernández Belsa, film forum coordinator Jerónimo de Francisco Navarro, and Celestino Celso Hernández Sánchez, director of the Eduardo Westerdahl Museum of Contemporary Art.
These events highlight the importance of bringing culture to areas outside of major urban centers. By focusing on Dámaso—a key figure in Canarian visual arts—the series encourages public discussion on memory and identity. This collaboration between local organizations and the Island Council helps move cinematic analysis beyond academic circles, offering the public a deeper understanding of how contemporary art addresses universal themes like legacy and the passage of time.