Urbanities,
Vol. 3
·
No 2
·
November 2013
© 2013
Urbanities
29
Perdomo asks himself whether this ‘tourist aesthetic’ can be considered as authentic
and his point of view on the matter is definitely negative. He says, ‘Much of the private sector
has found a shield in the argument of plasticity in order to perform the game of speculation
and town planning growth. The architectural aesthetic of tourism would then be the “tourist
mask” or the “exterior façade” of the big business of tourism, which focuses on land
speculation and the sale of plots’ (1987. 442-443; my translation).
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It is then clear how the
conflict between identity, authenticity and thematisation is central to an analysis of the tourist
impact in Lanzarote.
The way in which Manrique’s aesthetic ideals are perceived both by tourists and
inhabitants, is strictly linked to the considerations listed above. Nevertheless, it is important to
consider three more aspects. First, the artworks of Manrique, which constitute Lanzarote’s
main attractions, offer a series of tourist gazes which were selected to provide a certain image
of the Island coherent with his ideal. In recent years, however, many theme parks, water
parks, golf courses, etc. have been built on the Island, and they have, to some extent, changed
not only its general appearance but also the kinds of tourism activities which can be
undertaken. Although Manrique’s ideal has been somehow distorted, the presence of the
artist, especially as an icon, is still dominant. Nevertheless, I have noticed during the
interviews and especially during participant observation and my participation in bus tours
around the Island, that the work of Manrique is usually not recognized as a reason why
Lanzarote has been chosen as a travel destination. Actually, references to Manrique are,
though present, always rather subtle and lacking in detail when it comes to travel magazines
and brochures. The artist is very often mentioned, but little information about his work and
his persona are provided. Lanzarote is normally chosen because of its landscapes and thanks
to the promise of an out-of-the-ordinary experience, in a place that had not suffered as much
indiscriminate tourist development as other places. Although reference to Manrique is always
implied, the connection to his work is not always referred to.
The figure of Manrique becomes relevant once the tourist has arrived in Lanzarote and
notices that almost everything that can be done or seen on the Island has somehow been
designed, planned or influenced by the artist. Every house, building, park, promenade or
highway provides a certain gaze because it has been built following Manrique’s directions.
This aspect is well stressed by the informative material found in hotel rooms, provided by the
guides, and during meetings with people from the tour operator, with the result that what has
been a subsidiary reason for travelling to Lanzarote (if it existed at all), suddenly becomes one
of the focal points of the whole holiday period. A young tourist from Italy I interviewed,
defined Manrique as a ‘Jack of all trades’, a statement that was intended to be a joke, but that
definitely well describes one of the ways in which the artist is perceived by tourists.
8
The original reads, ‘Buena parte de la iniziativa privada se ha escudado en el argumento plástico para
llevar a cabo el juego de la especulación y del crecimiento urbanístico. La estética arquitectónica sería
la “mascara turistica” o la “fachada xterior” del gran negocio del turismo, que se centra en las parcelas
de la especulación de suelo y en su venta’.
