Sanitex Soft Drinks Factory

Mural located at the former Sanitex soft drinks factory

The Gaseosa Sanitex soft drink brand first appeared on the market in the 1960s and was the soft drink of the moment across the country at the time; as indicated on the bottle, with the phrase “GASEOSA SANITEX IS DRUNK THROUGHOUT SPAIN” screen-printed on the back. Fuente-Tójar was home to one of the most important factories producing this drink, situated behind the walls depicted in this artwork, creating jobs for many people in the village and the surrounding area. In the artwork, the history of this fizzy drink has been depicted in a surrealist style, featuring two lemons and an orange – the most popular flavours produced in Fuente-Tójar. The bottle itself can also be seen against a colourful background reminiscent of its adverts, which had a distinctly childlike character. In this instance, the artist sought to depict the Sanitex fizzy drink through its most direct aspect: its flavours. It is portrayed as a contemporary still life, a far cry from the classical and academic styles. It incorporates dreamlike elements and disparate visual languages, drawing on the popular imagination of neighbourhoods and villages.