The exhibition "Chico, Rita, and El Pianista" extends its stay at the Comic Hall until September 21
July 14, 2025
The exhibition "Chico, Rita, and El Pianista," hosted by the Avilés Comic Hall since February, extends its stay in the city until September 21, 2025, due to the positive response from the public since its opening. It’s worth noting that its closure was initially scheduled for Sunday, July 13.
Until June 30, the exhibition has welcomed over 5,500 visitors, solidifying its success month by month with the following attendance figures: February (815), March (1,142), April (1,416), May (1,103), and June (1,035). This steady flow of visitors confirms the public’s interest in the works of Mariscal and Trueba and their connection to music, art, and memory.
During these first five months, between 20 and 30% of the exhibition’s visitors came from other autonomous communities, and between 7 and 10% from abroad, especially during the spring months. This is further evidence of the cultural and touristic appeal that this exhibition holds for Avilés.
In addition to welcoming the general public, the exhibition has hosted organized visits from educational institutions and groups, totaling around 275 individuals, contributing to making this space a meeting point for visual and musical creativity.
Organized Group Visits
- February: Team Kraken Robotics Group
- February: IES Carreño Miranda and Superior School of Art of the Principality of Asturias (Design students)
- March: San Fernando School (Primary and Secondary)
- March: IES Carreño Miranda
- April: IES Carreño Miranda and exchange students
- May: La Ería School (Oviedo)
- June: Chamber Orchestra of the Julián Orbón Professional Municipal Conservatory
The exhibition brings together original sketches, offering an essential encounter with animation cinema and visual narrative, allowing visitors to delve into the creative process of two key works in the careers of illustrator Xavier Mariscal and filmmaker Fernando Trueba: "Chico & Rita" (2010) and "Dispararon al Pianista" (2023), through original sketches and illustrated sequences that showcase how jazz, politics, and emotion merge in these two animated tales of great poetic and social significance.
"Chico & Rita," winner of the Goya Award for Best Animated Film and nominated for an Oscar in 2012, tells a love story between Havana and New York in a Latin jazz context. "Dispararon al Pianista," released in 2023, reconstructs the disappearance of Brazilian pianist Francisco Tenório Jr. during the Argentine dictatorship and has been described by Trueba as "a clash between beauty and barbarism." Both reflect the artistic and human commitment of their creators.
The exhibition can be visited at the Avilés Comic Hall until September 21, 2025, from Tuesday to Friday, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and on Saturdays, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Admission is free.
