LAGO MARTIANEZ
Wind Toys

Within the work of César Manrique the so-called “Juguetes del Viento”, literally translated as Toys of the Wind, stand out. They are large and heavy structures, formed of geometric shapes; that intertwine and become light to the rhythm of the wind.

We find two examples at the “Costa Martiánez Resort”: “Alisios”, crowning the center of the area of the same name; and “Barlovento”, which welcomes us at the entrance to “Lago Martiánez”.

We can observe in both monuments the connection that Manrique achieves between nature and art, using both materials obtained from the Earth and those created by the human being.

The force of the sea and the wind, essential for the operation of the mills that filled the landscapes of Manrique's childhood, served as inspiration for the creation of these “Juguetes del Viento”, which time has turned into improvised substitutes for the increasingly scarce mills present in the Canarian geography.