The Fundación de Arte y Pensamiento Martín Chirino opened its doors last March 30th at Castillo de la Luz, in Las Palmas de Gran Canarias. José Ignacio Wert, Spain's Minister of Education, Culture, and Sport presided over the ceremonies, attended also by José Manuel Soria, Minister of Industry and Tourism; María del Carmen Hernández, delegate of the Canary Islands' government; Juan José Cardona, Mayor of Las Palmas; and the sculptor Martín Chirino. The Foundation is the result of a large project that began with the opening of Castillo de la Luz, a building procured by Mayor Cardona that had no definite use until now: it will hold a permanent collection of 25 sculptures by Martín Chirino. The intention is to "make Canarias into a cultural referent not only in Spain, but in the world", as the artist put it during the inauguration. In turn, Education Minister José Ignacio Wert said that "We are happy to celebrate the enthusiasm of a 90-year-old young man (Martín Chirino) who as a child dreamt of carrying the horizon beyond the horizon, and who today keeps alive the memory, the hope, and the promise of making that dream real, as we are seeing here", adding that "Martín Chirino, who works mostly with iron, is an artist of light". Jesús Castaño, the Foundation's director, explains that the private entity is supported by the city's municipal government (not the regional government or the Ministry of Culture), and that the board of trustees is comprised of relatives and friends of the sculptor. There is no political representative. The artwork, valued at four million Euros, will be on permanent display and the municipal government has agreed to devote 100,000 Euros a year for their progressive acquisition. The yearly budget for their upkeep borders the 600,000 Euros. The Foundation will hold part of of Martín Chirino's oeuvre, his personal library, his archive, and various mementos, and it will be dedicated to keep Chirino's work in the public sphere. "There will be debates, series, conferences, and all kinds of activities intended to enrich thinking around the arts in the Canary Islands region", adds Jesús Castaño. Martín Chirino wants a permanent discussion between the art world and the world of literature, convinced that today we have too many grand statements and not enough reflection.