There are posters that announce, and posters that make history. In 2023, the Royal Maestranza of Cavalry of Seville made a bold move by commissioning the image of its bullfighting season to none other than Norman Foster, the legendary British architect, Pritzker Prize and Prince of Asturias Award winner.
The result was Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville, a work that still sparks conversation today. At THE SUN PLACES we tell you everything you need to know about this unique poster, its creator and the bond that unites him to the city on the Guadalquivir. And, of course, we reveal where to stay to experience this moment in luxury and comfort.
A key fact (because we don't want you to get lost): Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville was for the 2023 season. The 2024 poster was created by Mexican artist Abraham Cruzvillegas. With this clarification, let us focus on Foster's work, which is the one that concerns us.
What day did Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville present?
📅 Presentation: a January day for the history books
On Tuesday 31 January 2023, in the Hall of Posters of the very Maestranza Bullring, Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville was unveiled.
The event brought together authorities, journalists and bullfighting enthusiasts, although there was a notable absence: Foster himself could not attend as he was travelling in Asia.
Who was in charge of presenting Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville?
The host and soul of the ceremony was Pepe Cobo, a renowned gallery owner and friend of the architect, who acted as host and revealed the ins and outs of the commission.
How did the idea for Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville come about?
Legend (official) has it that Foster visited the bullring with his wife, Sevillian Elena Ochoa, and was fascinated by the collection of contemporary posters. So much so that, spontaneously, he offered his own work for the following season. Thus was born Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville.
The Royal Maestranza gladly accepted, and the artist donated the work without charging fees. In return, the institution made a donation to the architect's foundation, dedicated to technological research.
🖌️ Analysis of the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville: "Toros en Sevilla 2023"
Foster, accustomed to handling steel, glass and minimalist lines, faced a canvas with acrylic. The title of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville is simple: "Toros en Sevilla 2023". But its composition is an exercise in symbolic synthesis.
- Colour palette: Only two colours, the same ones that dye the parade capes and the Sevillian ring: albero (earth yellow) and grana (blood red). A patriotic statement, in the words of the then businessman Ramón Valencia, but also a universal choice.
- Recognisable elements: The work features the abstract silhouette of the empty bullring, a slightly deformed burladero (barrier) and, flying over the scene, the imposing head of a bull with coarse, primitive features. This bull recalls the one that presides over the toriles gate of the Maestranza, like a stone guardian that comes to life.
- The emotion of absence: The stands appear deserted. Some saw in this a veiled criticism or a metaphor for the uncertain future of the bullfighting tradition.
But Foster himself explained that he sought to "capture all the symbols of the art of bullfighting" to represent "the emotion, nobility and cultural heritage". Emptiness, in his language, can also be a space of anticipation.
What is the history of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville?
📜 A brief history: the bullfighting posters of the Maestranza
To understand why Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville was so significant, you need to know the tradition behind every poster pasted on the lampposts of Seville.
- Classicist origins: For more than 250 years, the Maestranza announced its bullfights with sober posters, almost always typographic, where the text was king.
- The 1994 revolution: That year, the painter and maestranza knight Juan Maestre promoted a radical change: inviting avant-garde artists to create the annual posters. The gamble worked.
- A museum collection: Since then, names such as Miquel Barceló, Fernando Botero, Carmen Laffón, Larry Rivers and Eduardo Arroyo have passed through the Hall of Posters. The arrival of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville in 2023 marked the international consecration of that collection, placing it on a par with the best in the world in its genre.
🏛️ Who is Norman Foster? (And why does he care about Seville)
Norman Robert Foster, Lord Foster of Thames Bank (Manchester, 1935), is one of the most important living architects on the planet. His buildings are contemporary landmarks: the Reichstag dome in Berlin, "The Gherkin" skyscraper in London, Beijing Airport or Apple Park in California. His awards include the Pritzker Prize (1999) and the Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts (2009).
But his connection to Seville goes beyond a poster. Foster is married to psychologist and publisher Elena Ochoa, born in the Andalusian capital. This family and emotional bond was the seed of the project. For Foster, Seville is not just any city: it is his wife's homeland and a place where he has found an artistic sensibility very different from the Anglo-Saxon world. That is why Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville is also a personal gift to the city that welcomed him as a son-in-law.
💬 What does Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville represent for the city and for bullfighting?
Like any self-respecting work of art, Foster's work left no one indifferent. And therein lies part of its greatness.
- An emblem for the city: The Government delegate of the Junta in Seville described Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville as "an emblem of Seville". For many, that a creator of his calibre wanted to put his signature on the bullfighting season was a reason for collective pride.
- A vote of confidence for the tradition: In years where the anti-bullfighting debate is more alive than ever, gallery owner Pepe Cobo stressed that Foster's participation meant "his commitment to bullfighting and to the tradition in very difficult times". It is no small detail.
- Controversy (always constructive): Some criticised the poster for its apparent roughness or the deformation of the elements. It was also said that drawing the empty bullring was a bad omen. But, as experts point out, any Maestranza poster that does not generate controversy has gone unnoticed. And Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville certainly did not go unnoticed.
Where to stay to see the presentation of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville?
THE SUN PLACES: Your Luxury Refuge to Enjoy Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville
At THE SUN PLACES, we know that experiences like the historic presentation of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville deserve accommodation to match. That 31 January 2023, the Hall of Posters of the Royal Maestranza dressed up to host the work of the British architect.
And for you, who want to relive that moment or discover the most important collection of contemporary posters in the world, we offer our exclusive selection of Luxury Apartments in Seville, designed so that you can combine your passion for bullfighting with absolute comfort.
🌟 Why stay with THE SUN PLACES to explore the legacy of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville?
- Unbeatable Location: Our properties are located in the heart of the historic centre, just a few minutes from the Maestranza Bullring and the Archivo de Indias. This way you can visit the place where the original poster of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville is exhibited and return to your refuge with total comfort.
- Absolute Comfort: Enjoy spacious areas, equipped kitchens, high-quality beds and private terraces with views of the Giralda. The perfect place to relax after a day analysing every brushstroke of albero and grana in Foster's work.
- Specialised Concierge: Our local team will help you get tickets for the bullfights, recommend the best routes through the courtyards of the Maestranza and tell you anecdotes about how Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville came about (it was during a visit by the architect with his Sevillian wife, Elena Ochoa).
- The Perfect Refuge: After immersing yourself in the poster collection that includes names such as Botero or Barceló, return to a space of tranquillity and elegance where you can share your impressions of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville and recharge your batteries.
"The presentation of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville 2023 was much more than an announcement: it was a dialogue between avant-garde architecture and deeply rooted tradition.
📞 Contact THE SUN PLACES to book your Luxury Apartment in Seville
Do you want to walk through the same settings where Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville was conceived? Would you like to sleep just steps from the Maestranza and wake up to views of the Giralda?
THE SUN PLACES has the perfect refuge for you. Book your luxury apartment now and get ready to discover the mark of Norman Foster and the Poster of the Bullfighting Season of Seville and all the magic of bullfighting in the Andalusian capital.