A few weeks ago, the Buenaventura team traveled to Málaga to visit one of the year’s most meaningful exhibitions for those of us working in design, publishing, and typography: Imprenta Sur (1925–2025). One Hundred Years, One Hundred Objects.
Hosted at the María Victoria Atencia Cultural Center (MVA), now home to the press itself, the exhibition celebrates the centenary of one of the most influential printing houses of the 20th century—its story deeply intertwined with the evolution of Spanish literature.
Our visit, guided by current master printer José Andrade, was a moving experience. The exhibition unfolds as both a sensory and documentary journey through the history of this foundational place. Imprenta Sur was established in 1925 by the poet Emilio Prados, who, alongside Manuel Altolaguirre and José María Hinojosa, transformed the press into a cradle and voice for the Generation of ’27 through Litoral magazine—one of the most important publications in 20th-century Spanish poetic thought, and still in print today. Its pages and supplements gave a first platform to voices such as Vicente Aleixandre, María Teresa León, Rosa Chacel, Luis Cernuda, Dámaso Alonso, Rafael Alberti, Ernestina de Champourcin, Concha Méndez, and Federico García Lorca.
Curated by Rafael Inglada, the show brings together one hundred objects that reconstruct a unique journey through the history of Spanish poetry and printing: photographs, original covers, artists’ sketches, typographic pieces, historical publications—even the hand-painted signage from the period when the press operated under the name Dardo during the Spanish Civil War and the Franco dictatorship.
Every room breathes history, craftsmanship, and material culture. But what truly animates the story is the presence of José Andrade—grandson of the press’s first machinist and its last active printer—who accompanied us with warmth and deep knowledge.
He spoke to us about typography, about tools, about process. He explained how the chivaletes (type cases) were organized, how text was composed letter by letter, how pressure on the press was adjusted, and how papers were selected and why. He showed us original illustrations, proof sheets with hand corrections, and technical details that allowed us to fully grasp the breadth of the press—not just as a technical marvel, but as a cultural and historical force.
Naturally, Andrade’s close, lifelong connection to the press adds an emotional depth to the visit. For those of us working in graphic design today, this kind of direct engagement with traditional printing techniques holds immense symbolic and educational value. It reminds us that design is not merely the production of images, but a practice rooted in the construction of visual objects—and their social impact.
Andrade helped us appreciate the true weight of decisions like typographic composition, white space hierarchy, ink selection, and line modulation—elements of inestimable value for those of us who don’t just work in design, but live within it.
The visit culminates in an extraordinary space: the original press, still operational. Preserved within the María Victoria Atencia Cultural Center, it continues to produce editions using traditional methods. There, among restored machinery and movable type, the scent of ink and freshly pressed paper transported us far from our screen-based world. The slowness of the process, the precision of every gesture, the expressiveness of imperfection, the beauty of manual work—it was all there. It is all still alive.
An Essential Lesson for 21st-Century Designers
For us, this visit was a lesson in craft—a chance to reflect on the place we occupy in today’s design ecosystem. A call to memory, yes, but also to the future: because preserving this legacy is not only a matter of respect, but of responsibility.
Understanding how a book was printed in 1930—how a headline was composed, how line spacing was chosen, or when to use small caps—is not an archaeological exercise. It is a tool that enriches our contemporary practice. It helps us make decisions that are more thoughtful, more informed, more precise. And above all, it connects us to a way of working that values beauty and deliberation—something that lies at the very heart of Buenaventura’s identity.
Imprenta Sur (1925–2025). One Hundred Years, One Hundred Objects is open through May 23 at the María Victoria Atencia Cultural Center (Calle Ollerías 34, Málaga). Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Guided tours—including access to the working press—are offered in small groups and require advance registration. For more information and bookings: centroculturalmva.es.
Para más información y reservas: centroculturalmva.es.
Ana Moliz
Art Director Buenaventura
