Photography by Salva Garcia

The Flowering of Cieza is a book that compiles 25 years of photographs by the discoverer of the works of art that draw the fruit trees in Cieza

“Nature becomes art in the hands of Fernando Galindo Tormo.”

“Your work is undoubtedly imprinted on our retinas, images that represent our environment as no one has been able to show before, congratulations”

“the images of the #‎flowering #‎Cieza, reflected by Fernando Galindo does not disappoint as a beautiful reality”

These are just a sample of the first reactions that the presentation of the first book dedicated entirely to La Flowering in Cieza, capitalized on purpose because it is a unique, incomparable event of sufficient importance to merit a publication of the quality of the one that was published yesterday.

The first to notice this was the artist Fernando Galindo who, as he recounted, was lucky enough to discover its peculiarity and its possibilities in 1991 when, in a photograph he took of his daughter María del Mar on the Puente de Hierro, his attention was caught by the background, a blanket of flowers that was drawn behind her and that until then had only been something that “had always been there”.

From that moment on, camera in hand, and many kilometers traveled, have resulted in the largest collection of photographs dedicated to the flowering of Cieza that no one has been able to compile, and we dare say, the most complete and the best.

Because no one has been able to capture and transmit what the flowering of Cieza means like him. But what's more, yesterday many people discovered that for Fernando Galindo, the flowering is something more than images: it is work in the fields, it is sacrifice by farmers, it is tourism, it is pride for the town.

It is true that Fernando Galindo's images do not need to be explained, but Bartolomé Marcos has had the opportunity to illustrate this photographic compendium, aware that the best thing that could happen to him was not to disturb the purpose of the book too much (this is his). We are left with two notes from Bartolomé, one reiterated consciously and deliberately, “a man's dream” turned into reality; another, more pragmatic… “forever, part of the legacy of a land, which thanks to this edition, will endure forever.”

The presentation of the book La Floración de Cieza was also a master class by Fernando Galindo, who taught us that a photographer, like a sailor, has to know even about meteorology, because depending on where the winds come from, they will draw a totally different landscape; or that the important thing is not the landscape itself, but knowing what you want to capture, knowing what a photograph gives and making the most of it. No one sees the same landscape, no one captures the same reality.

Those who attended the event yesterday did so to thank Fernando Galindo for his dedication, his altruism, his ability, his tenacity in fighting against bureaucracy, his enthusiasm for showing the best of his people, his shared passion, which in the end is what makes any artist great. Unfortunately, as Pascual Hortelano also expressed, time will have to pass before Fernando and what he is doing for our people are properly appreciated.