El Center del Carme Contemporary Culture has become the great showcase of the creative universe of Paco Camallongawith an exhibition that combines fallas, bonfires, comics, and digital sculpture in a single experience. The event, which can be visited until April 26, is the first major retrospective dedicated to the Valencian illustrator and designer, responsible for the design of the children's falla of the Valencia City Council this year.
Far from being limited to a simple collection of pieces, the exhibition proposes to the visitor a journey through the evolution of the artist: from his early sketches and childhood drawings up to his most recent work for the American comic book industry. All of this is presented through more than 200 original pieces, indultats ninots3D models and an installation that brings the spirit of the municipal children's falla to the Renaissance cloister of the CCCC.
An exhibition that unites fallas, bonfires and contemporary art
The exhibition of Paco Camallonga at the Centre del Carme primarily occupies the Buttress Room and extends to the Renaissance cloister, where the public can stroll among scenes and illustrations related to the City Hall's children's falla. Some of the main pieces of the children's monument, accompanied by moving elements hanging from the trees that welcome visitors to the route and reinforce the feeling of movement.
In this open-air space, the intervention engages with the historic architecture of the CCCC and serves as a prelude to the rest of the exhibition. The project is curated by MacDiego, which has proposed an itinerary in several areas to put the artist's Fallas and graphic production into context, without losing sight of his personal identity or his international career.
From the Consortium of Museums of the Valencian Community, its managing director, Nicolás BugedaHe asserted that one of the CMCV's lines of work is to recognize creators linked to the Fallas and Hogueras festivals as part of contemporary art. In this regard, he emphasized that the festive scene is full of artists with international reach, and that Camallonga's case is paradigmatic: in just a decade, he has established himself in the Fallas world and, at the same time, made the leap to European and American comics.
Bugeda has pointed out that, despite having been signed by international animation and comic book companiesCamallonga has chosen to remain based in Valencia and continue exporting his projects from here, both in the design of festive monuments and in the field of illustration and graphic storytelling. This decision reinforces the idea that talent can be developed locally without sacrificing a global career.
'Valencia is moving': the municipal children's falla as the focus of the project
One of the central themes of the exhibition is the project of the municipal children's fault 'València es mou', created in collaboration with the Fallas artist Mario PerezThe slogan alludes to a city in constant transformation, where the sustainable mobility and urban evolution become narrative and educational resources for the youngest children.
In the anteroom of the exhibition, a 3D model of this children's monument, digitally modeled by Camallonga. Through illustrations, sketches and three-dimensional recreations, the visitor can explore the different scenes of the project and understand how the digital design is translated into a real volume that is later installed in the Town Hall square.
The Renaissance cloister of the CCCC hosts an installation that "dissects" the city's children's Fallas monument: the scenes and characters are displayed at different points in the space, allowing the public to wander among them as if walking through the interior of the monument itself. This intervention transforms festive heritage into exhibition experience and places it on the same level as other contemporary art proposals.
The presence of this municipal project also serves as a connecting thread between Camallonga's work as a Fallas designer and his work in other formats. The exhibition emphasizes this. idea of a bridge between tradition and innovationbetween Valencian popular culture and global cultural industries.
From the pardoned ninots to the 'Vanity' bonfire
The first part of the tour in the gallery is dedicated to the indultats ninots that have marked the artist's career in recent years, both in Fallas of Valencia as in Bonfires of AlicanteAmong the featured works is the iconic The people save the people, from the Pilar falla and work of the fallero artist Paco Torres with design by Camallonga, which was pardoned in 2025 by the Gremi d'Artistes Fallers.
It also occupies a prominent place Crucible of illusions, made for the Baver-Els Antigons bonfire and pardoned by popular vote in the Bonfires of 2024. These pieces, along with other children's ninots such as Time Capsule (Císcar-Burriana fault), May it not fall into oblivion (Duke of Gaeta-Pobla de Farnals) or Bridge of Solidarity (Pilar fault), show how the artist introduces social and emotional themes within a visual language closely linked to color and detail.
The room also displays the 3D model of the 'Vanity' bonfireWinner of the first prize in the Special Section of Alicante in 2025 and built by Paco Torres with a design by Camallonga. This piece serves as an example of how the artist uses digital modeling to plan complex monuments, where each figure and each scene responds to an almost architectural structure.
The collection of ninots, models, and sketches allows us to follow the evolution of his style in the field of ephemeral art: from more restrained compositions to works increasingly ornate, baroque and colorfulas MacDiego himself points out. In all of them, a very calculated balance can be seen, linked to Camallonga's training in the world of architecture and his familiarity with straight lines and well-constructed volumes.
Digital design, visual storytelling, and manga references
One of the constants of the exhibition is the highlighting of digital work from Camallonga. The artist has practically abandoned paper and He creates his sketches, sculptures, and compositions entirely in digital format.According to the curator, many of the drawings on display appear to be hand-drawn, but in reality they are digital files prepared for later reproduction in volume.
This way of working allows him to control every step of the process, from the first sketch to the final model. Visitors can see how, starting from a simple digital drawing, the artist moves to an inking phase and then to the color illustrationWhether for a Fallas monument or a comic book page, the exhibition includes 3D models, screens, and printed materials that document this process.
The walls of the Contrafuertes Room also feature characters and nods to popular culture, such as Goku and other icons of Japanese mangawhich are part of his everyday imagery. Among the most notable influences are Akira Toriyama, Creator of Dragon Ball, very present in collections such as 'Innovació vs Tradició', where the artist plays with the contrast between the Fallas legacy and aesthetics linked to anime and international comics.
This mix of references translates into a highly recognizable style: dynamic figures, compositions full of detail, and a visual narrative which resonates with both younger audiences and those who approach the art of Fallas from a more traditional perspective. As MacDiego emphasizes, Camallonga's work stands out for its ability to combine narrative, visual impact, and emotion in each project.
From the Centre del Carme to American comics
Beyond his involvement in the Fallas festival, the exhibition dedicates a large section to Camallonga's career in the comic book worldVisitors can find original pages, covers, posters, and material from titles such as Dog (edited by the Valencian publication Aleta), Reunion in Bordeaux (published by Nuevo Nueve) or Bordellwhich contribute to highlighting the author's versatility.
These works reveal a cross-pollination of influences: European comics, North American aesthetics, and Japanese manga combine into a unique, constantly evolving language. One section reconstructs the production process of DogSet against a dark backdrop in Spain's recent history, with natural disasters, dictatorship, and the transition to democracy, the exhibition incorporates a audiovisual with an almost documentary style which helps to understand the atmosphere of the story.
Camallonga's international breakthrough is reflected in his work for the American industry, with covers for Scout Comics and various projects with Titan BooksAnglo-Saxon firm linked to high-profile franchises. Among its most notable projects is the comic book adaptation of the video game 'Borderlands', a key title in contemporary science fiction that has expanded its reach in the US market.
The artist himself acknowledges that some of these projects cannot yet be revealed due to the industry's usual discretion, but the exhibition offers a glimpse into how his graphic language adapts to very different worlds without losing its personality. For those only familiar with his Fallas-themed work, this section is a kind of revelation; for comic book readers unaware of his connection to the Fallas festival, it's proof that Both worlds can fit into the same creative “puzzle”.
A journey into the 'brain' of Paco Camallonga
The final section of the tour invites the visitor to delve into the inner world of CamallongaThis section, named as CerebroIt functions as an immersive space that combines audiovisuals with various pieces that showcase ideas, tests, experimental sketches, and graphic commissions of very diverse kinds.
This section showcases posters, book covers, award designs, and projects rarely seen alongside their Fallas productions. The aim is to offer a overview of your workBeyond commercial commissions or monuments that have garnered the most media attention, the artist himself points out that what interests him most is being allowed to "create" freely, something he seeks to assert through this more personal selection.
Visitors can thus understand how the different "facets" that make up Camallonga's character are articulated: his background in architecture, his experience in animation and video games, his passion for comics, and his specialization in ninot design and digital sculptureAll of this is condensed into a style that, according to the curator, is easily identifiable at first glance.
With free admission and open until April 26, the Paco Camallonga exhibition at the Centre del Carme It presents itself as an opportunity to approach Fallas art and comics from a different perspective, where local tradition and international reach come together. The exhibition reinforces the idea that the Fallas and the Hogueras are, beyond the festival itself, fertile ground for contemporary creation and a point of connection with cultural industries of global scope.