INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

On the eastern outskirts of the city, this international museum of contemporary art is housed in the Castillo San José, an imposing fortress built between 1776 and 1779 at the request of King Carlos III. Its privileged location on a basalt promontory complemented the firepower of the Castillo San Gabriel to protect the city of Arrecife, at a time when many European states were fighting against the Spanish empire. It was later abandoned for almost a century. Later, César Manrique convinced the authorities of Lanzarote to transform this fortress into an art museum, which was opened in 1976. From the beginning it housed works by Picasso, Tàpies, Mompó and Miró. Later, the fortress was expanded with the construction of a modern restaurant-mirador, installed in the basement, for which Manrique deployed all his creative potential, making it one of the most attractive spaces in the complex. From here there is an impressive view of the sea and the coast through large glass windows. The painter has gathered here an important collection of abstract paintings and sculptures from the 1950s to the 1970s. Inside the museum, we will see works by Manrique himself, Miró and Tàpies. But also permanent exhibitions that cover the years 1950-1980, with special attention to the different forms of abstract art (kinetic, geometric) and a special section dedicated to the Canarian artist, Pancho Lasso.