Artist Félix de la Concha presents his series From Thatcherina to Pedro the Milkman in Ponferrada, an ethnographic mosaic portraying the miners of the Pozo Julia in Fabero. The exhibition, open until May 31 at La Térmica Cultural, documents with brushstrokes the life and work in one of the most emblematic coal basins of León.
The portrait technique as a documentary archive 🎨
De la Concha employs a method of direct observation, painting his models in the real environment of the mine. Each portrait captures gestures, tools, and clothing with ethnographic precision. The series functions as a visual record of a dying industry, where faces and postures reveal the working conditions and resilience of a community that lived off coal for generations. The earthy color palette reinforces the atmosphere of the pit.
From coal to art: when the pickaxe is not enough ⛏️
The miners pose stoically, perhaps thinking they have gone from extracting coal to extracting art. Some may wonder if their portrait will be worth more than the wages they earned per shift. What is certain is that, at least, they won't have to worry about silicosis when smelling Félix's brushes. An exhibition that proves that, sometimes, the best mineral is the one carried in the gaze.