Until the end of March, the facade of Gruta77 in Carabanchel will bring together multiple signs that have sadly disappeared to pay tribute to neighborhood businesses and their creators. A team from Madrid Directo has had the opportunity to illuminate the installation with a countdown and celebrate a party with this seal of identity.

Alberto Nanclares is one of the members of the collective of this incredible mission called Paco Graco (common heritage of commercial graphics) which, without a doubt, goes far beyond the nostalgia of wanting to preserve old signs for years, signs that have shaped the aspect of the streets of Madrid.

In about eight years they have managed to rescue more than 200 signs and as many other items of furniture from historic businesses that have lowered their shutters. How did they get them? Many of them have found them in the trash, but with others, if they can't get in touch with the business owner, they remove the sign before it's too late and leave a note explaining their good intentions and agreeing to return it. .

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"When you inherit a sign like this from an old business, you always have to protect it, even if you think it's worthless." As these signs will remain exposed on the façade until the end of March, they are looking for someone who wants to inherit the collection so that they can stay on another façade forever.

After the first temporary exhibition at the Casa de Reloj Cultural Center in Arganzuela in 2019, his work became known and Paco Graco became one of the founders of the Iberian Network in Defense of Graphic Heritage, which links 40 similar projects in 25 cities in Spain and Portugal.

Exposed signs on the facade