The Art of Celebrating Madrid in Prints that Captivate the World
" All you need to do is mix an iconic concept, a master illustrator and a unique city... and the result is outstanding! " says Gautier, one of the project's founders.
Summer 2021 was beginning, and Madrid's terraces were once again packed. The city had only recently discovered brunch , and holding strategic meetings at one of the most prestigious hotels was already a tradition. It was then that Paola and Gautier first discussed bringing THE MADRILEÑER to life.
Gautier had discovered The Shanghairen in his previous posting (where he lived for five years), and Paola had stumbled upon it while searching for a sentimental gift to say goodbye to Shanghai. They both liked it so much that they started exploring the concept further, eventually leading to The Parisianer , the precursor to countless independent projects that paint cities as if they were covers of iconic magazines. From there, they moved on to The Milaneser , The Tokyoiter , Le Montrealer … and so on!
“ Madrid deserved its own cover to celebrate what makes it unique ,” says Paola, Gautier’s partner and sister-in-law, who has lived in Madrid for 16 years. “ Those of us who are adopted here probably know what it means to feel like a Madrileño from the moment you get out of a taxi for the first time. You arrive in this city and you belong; whether you come for a couple of hours or for a lifetime. ”
And so, with his consultant's efficiency and her editorial experience, they set to work launching THE MADRILEÑER, covers for a fictional magazine celebrating the Madrid lifestyle. According to Gautier, “ We didn't just want them to be incredible, collectible, and aesthetically pleasing covers: we wanted art that told stories and we wanted to imbue the decor with meaning for those who love Madrid .”
For their first steps they relied on the advice of the projects that preceded them and the founders of Paris, Milan, Shanghai generously shared recommendations, warnings and opinions on how the launch and management of an adventure like this should be in the Spanish world.
We were lucky enough to find Sandra López, and take the plunge with the support of the illustrators' agency Pencil SL , the first of its kind in Spain, which shared our enthusiasm for this adventure.
It was through the agency that they met Daniel Montero Galán , Cinta Arribas, and Angel Svoboda , illustrators of the first covers, which they hold dear. “ We followed The Parisianer ’s advice and asked each of the illustrators to tell us , ‘ What is Madrid to you? ’… and that’s how the magic happened! From a vandalized Menina to a famous, now-defunct band from the Madrid scene, to a dreamlike Botanical Garden… All of that happened in the first issues of THE MADRILEÑER,” Paola recalled with a smile.
From then on, a very strong complicity has always been maintained with Pencil, which has introduced them to figures such as Jacobo Muñiz , Irene Pérez , Tania Vicedo and, the recent winner of the award for best children's comic (Barcelona, 2022), Rut Pedreño , for new projects.
However, THE MADRILEÑER team is always on the lookout for memorable covers and artists with a proven love for Madrid, such as Irene Blasco and Beatriz Ramo (Naranjalidad), who granted the rights to their illustrations “ Madrid Sounds Like Christmas ” and “ Kittens on the Roof ,” respectively. These illustrations, originally created for the Madrid City Council, were given a second life. Gautier is emphatic: “Both are endearing! The kind of image that stays with you and reminds you of those days you love living in Madrid. It’s an honor to have them in our portfolio.”
After the launch, they're settling into new phases. They already have their release schedule for the year, they've been seen at a variety of art markets where people have been able to see and touch THE MADRILEÑER in person, and they've already started selling at the legendary shop " Los Artistas del Barrio" (The Artists of the Neighborhood ).
Furthermore, it is rumored that they are preparing a cover for a Madrid State Museum, a major educational institution, and… the Madrid Book Fair!!
It's clear that the work of democratizing art and bringing it into people's homes has a long way to go. And with the number of fans Madrid has around the world… the sky's the limit!
