Yesterday, a permanent exhibition of Juan Brito’s clay sculptures of Lanzarote’s legendary Maho rulers was opened at the Monumento del Campesino.
Juan Brito, who died at the age of 98 in 2018, was one of the most charming and tireless of Lanzarote’s folklorists. Born at the foot of Montaña Tamia near Tao, he grew up herding goats and camels until he was called up to fight in the Civil War as an illiterate teenager who never spoke.
A shell-burst that killed several of his companions seemed to release something in the young man, and he shortly learnt to read, write and talk.
Once he started, he never stopped, writing several books, discovering archaeological and geological sites on his island, and forming a folk group, Los Campesinos, that continues today.
Juan learnt ceramics at the side of Doña Dorothea, the sole surviving traditional potter on the island, and created many pots based on archaeological finds. His own sculptures of the legendary Majo figures such as King Guardafia and Princesa Ico now form a permanent gallery in the crafters courtyard of the Monumento del Campesino. Each figure is identified, and explained using a QR code, with commentary in Spanish, English, German, French and Italian.
We knew Don Juan in his later years, and it’s a moving experience to hear his voice, recreated using AI, explaining the various figures.
The opening event was, as expected, warm and friendly, with many of Juan’s friends turning up. As a special treat, a small folk group played some local tunes and Juan’s son Victor danced an informal malaguena with a partner.
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