Art and culture
In 1995, the facilities of the Santa Bárbara shaft, located in the Turón valley, in Mieres, were definitively closed down. The mine had been in operation since the 1920s, first directed by Sociedad Hulleras del Turón and, from 1968 onwards, by Hunosa. The great value of the preserved heritage justified its declaration in January 2010 as Bien de Interés Cultural (an asset of cultural interest) in the monument category.
After a restoration process carried out in 2015, which allowed the recovery of part of its elements, the Mieres City Council launched a project to repurpose its facilities with the aim of developing activities that generated interest in heritage and attracted visitors to a valley that had suffered the harsh consequences of the loss of mining and industrial activity.
The cultural center at the Santa Barbara shaft is located in the compressor room of the facility, now empty due to the loss of the machinery. From 2021 on, this place became a national reference for its unique commitment to the recovery of heritage after giving space in its facilities for projects of international artists.
British artist Anthony MacCall presented Solid Light and Performance Works, converting the space of the Santa Barbara shaft into a visual and plastic element while allowing viewers to interact with it. He was followed by the Asturian artist Herminio Álvarez Fernández, who installed his Voladuras controladas with elements in suspension, tensions, counterweights, dynamic balances and magnetic fields. The German artist Regine Schumann allowed visitors to enjoy her proposal, Innerlight, which filled the hall of the main building of the shaft with light and color reflections. The last project so far was by the Australian artist Andy Thomas, who presented his project Visual Bird Sounds, a multi-screen exhibition with striking visual compositions that invite viewers to reflect on the vulnerability of natural ecosystems in the face of society advances.
GALERÍA DE IMÁGENES
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