‘Francisco Moreno Galván’

Francisco Moreno Galván (1925–99) was a key figure in the resurgence of Flamenco from the 1960s onwards. His vital contribution included rewriting lyrics and modernising the visual representation of flamenco through posters and album covers, as well as helping to create the Reunión de Cante Jondo festival in Puebla de Cazalla (Seville). He was the painter on the Spanish art scene in the second half of the 20th century who delved most successfully into the world of flamenco, abandoning the old ‘costumbrismo’ style to transport it into the avant-garde. This tension between the popular theme of flamenco and his modern, cutting-edge form was the basis of his work. Moreno Galván approached his prints of singing, playing and dancing from a traditional Flamenco (‘jondo’) aesthetic, with a powerful lyrical expressionism that oozed authenticity. He was able to take the pain and laments of gypsies and flamenco artists and make them his own.