The town of Turre is once again refusing to accept a multi million euro art donation offered by the town’s old doctor.
Dr Blas Carrillo, a now retired yet still famous gynocologist who is from Turre, has accumulated an art collection worth several million euros. Most of his collection come from famous local artists, or were made in the area, especially during the “Indalecio” art movement years.
He has some 350 paintings, 300 sculptures, 512 sketches and over 200 ceramic works by, amongst others, Eduardo Cruz, Cantón Checa, Capuleto and others.
Dr Blas paid for a repair to the Church some years ago which included replacing some broken stained glass windows. His new design depicted the birth of Christ.
According to an open letter (here) published today by Dr Blas, he first offered this collection when the previous PSOE administration started to build the (currently empty) museum in the town. But no deal was ever signed, and the 2011 elections came with no agreement being reached.
Arturo Grima (PP), who came into power then, was, according to Dr Blas, uninterested in the collection. He publically changed the designation of the museum from an art museum to an archeological museum, under the auspices of his brother, the historian Juan Grima. And according to documents found in this administration, it was Juan’s collection of local artificats that were going to be the main exhibits. I’m told the museum was 99% completed by the time of the last elections, with just some final paperwork waiting approval from the Junta.
And now the PSOE wing of the current administration have changed the plans yet again. Somos Turre found the museum plans, which nobody knew about because they were at the back of the cupboard, but since it falls under the PSOE remit of the coalition Martin Morales has no say in the matter, and is frankly uninterested in the topic, having other things to concern him.
The PSOE haven’t made public their plans for the 900m2 building, but are apparantly contemplating some sort of public social centre.
Dr Blas says in his letter that despite having offered his collection for a third time he has received no response from the PSOE and so his art collection continues to be stored elsewhere. It seems the PSOE are uninterested in his plans.
His open letter explaining all of this now asks the people of Turre, currently being asked to submit proposals for the spending of some chump change in the town, to vote for the museum being opened at long last with his collection. He points out that the building is finished and empty, and that he is offering to fill it with his own collection, and the collections of other local worthies who are prepared to donate valuable items for the good of the town.
As it has been pointed out, what on earth are they going to put in this massive white elephant of a building that’s better than hundreds of valuable locally linked works of art from modern and past collectible artists?
In a properly run town, of course, the work of the last four years would have been taken up by the PSOE and the museum would have been completed as planned, with the historical exhibits that were offered being put in there. But in Turre, we have to waste the money and time spent planning the old project, simply because family vanity on all sides of the political spectrum refuse to allow it to continue.
And frankly, I think it’s amazingly decent of Dr Carrillo to continue to offer his exhibition in this way – an honest and open offer to help his native town to produce a destination that would be unique in the province, and an open window to the artistic past of the area.