Utrera artist Rafael Rodríguez Girona, known as Erregiro, has presented the official poster for the Fair and Festivals of Our Lady of Consolation 2026, a work that centres around the coat of arms of Utrera.
The Utrera Town Council, through the Major Festivals delegation, has unveiled the poster that will announce the Fair and Festivals of Our Lady of Consolation 2026. The work, created by local artist Rafael Rodríguez Girona —signing under the artistic name of Erregiro—, was presented at an event that gathered a large audience in the Sevillian municipality.
The Major Festivals delegate, Francisco Arjona, was the one to open the event. In his speech, he highlighted the author's career and his ability to capture the essence of Utrera. “Talking about Rafael is talking about an artist with a unique ability to capture the essence of our land,” he stated. Arjona emphasised that the poster goes beyond a simple announcement: “With exquisite sensitivity and impeccable artistic vision, Rafael has managed to condense the feelings of an entire town into a single image. It is not just a Fair poster; it is a reflection of our identity.”
Rafael Rodríguez explained that from the moment he received the commission, he was clear about the objective: to create an image that represented the Fair of his town. To do this, he immersed himself in the origins of the celebration. “I thought it would be a good idea to recount the beginnings, where this festival that unites us once a year originates, to understand that we haven't invented much and that we continue to preserve traditions inherited from ancient civilisations,” the artist noted.
The central theme of the composition is the coat of arms of Utrera. “Thinking of an image that represented Utrera, I realised that its coat of arms and my approach told the same story: that of the people,” Erregiro explained. From there, he developed a work full of symbolism.
Regarding the colour scheme, the author opted for a monochromatic range of ochre tones, like the albero, to evoke the earth and the festival. He reserved the polychromy for faith, devotion, and tradition, elements that add colour to the composition.
The work presents itself as a symbolic cover presided over by two female figures representing the Fair by day and by night. Both embody the duality between the bull and the white horse, extending their arms to join them in a toast, forming a bridge inspired by the coat of arms of Utrera. The whole is framed by the circle of the sun and the moon, symbols of continuity and eternity. The patterns of their dresses evoke the agricultural wealth of the municipality: the olive tree in the nocturnal figure and the wheat in the diurnal one.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Consolation is also depicted, with its doors open. “It places us on the most important day of the Fair, September 8, when the Virgin awaits at the altar the visit of her people and all the pilgrims,” the artist detailed.
In the centre of the composition, a mother holds her child in her arms. “I wanted to reflect all those ancestral matron goddesses, like Ceres in the coat of arms of Utrera, borrowing the red of her habit. Holding her child in her arms, the fruit of her womb, speaks of the continuity of tradition,” Rodríguez explained. This figure also refers to Our Lady of Consolation, reinforced by the presence of the white rosebush, flower of Mary and symbol of purity. The artist concluded by stating that for this poster, “I wanted to think of the Virgin embodied in a woman, crossing the entrance and stepping on the albero to discover how her people celebrate her.”
The event was closed by the mayor of Utrera, Francisco Jiménez, who congratulated the author and highlighted the value of the work. The poster is now part of the graphic heritage of the locality and announces one of the most significant events in the Utrera festive calendar.
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