Villena has unveiled a fabulous new sculpture in Paseo Chapí to honour one of the town’s most celebrated artists, Antonio Navarro Santafé, creator of Madrid’s famous El Oso y el Madroño (The Bear and the Strawberry Tree).
The new artwork, titled Raíces del Alma, was created by local artist Anyel Martínez as part of celebrations marking the 120th anniversary of Navarro Santafé’s birth.
The installation offers a modern reinterpretation of the famous bear sculpture that has become one of Madrid’s most recognisable symbols.
A new landmark for Villena
The huge steel sculpture now stands prominently in Paseo Chapí and aims to become a new cultural attraction for the town.
“Raíces del Alma” stands out not only for its symbolism but also for its sheer scale.
The sculpture measures:
- 4.5 metres high
- Nearly 6 metres including the pedestal
- More than 6 tonnes in total weight
The bear itself weighs around 1,200 kilos and uses a metal internal structure covered with hand-worked steel plates.
One of the piece’s most distinctive features is its oxidised steel finish, designed to naturally evolve over time. The artist describes the changing surface as a kind of “living skin”.
Meanwhile, polished stainless steel details in the eyes, claws and teeth create contrast against the darker metal surfaces.
More than 4,000 handmade leaves
The tree section has become one of the sculpture’s biggest visual highlights.
It features:
- 28 metal branches
- 4,444 individually handmade steel leaves
Artists manually shaped, welded and polished every leaf by hand.
In addition, the base of the sculpture was designed to resemble natural rock formations, helping the artwork blend into the surrounding public space.
A tribute to a Spanish icon
Antonio Navarro Santafé remains one of Villena’s most important cultural figures thanks to El Oso y el Madroño, the iconic statue that stands in Puerta del Sol and has become one of Spain’s best-known landmarks.
