Bocacangrejo, a small coastal village in Tenerife, has lost its famous heart murals that adorned its seaside promenade. For nearly three years, the colourful hearts had transformed the town into an open-air art gallery and a popular spot for visitors from around the world.
However, after a recent act of vandalism where the artwork was defaced with graffiti, the artist responsible for the hearts, Rafael Marichal, decided to erase his beloved creation. Today, the promenade is covered in plain grey pavement and whitewashed walls, erasing all traces of the vibrant display.
Rafael, a 73-year-old local known affectionately as "Rafa," dedicated himself to painting the hearts, which became a symbol of love and a viral attraction on social media. But after the graffiti incident, Rafa took matters into his own hands and painted over his work. Although the hearts are gone, his home remains decorated with bright colours, a reminder of the joy he once brought to the town.
Rafa, now in seclusion, is avoiding the media and his neighbours, heartbroken over the loss of his artwork. Local residents, like Luis "el Majorero," who has lived in the village for 40 years, expressed their sadness at the situation. Bocacangrejo had become a popular stop for tourists, drawn by the viral social media fame of the heart-covered promenade, which had even earned the village the nickname "the town of hearts."
While the colourful murals brought joy to many, the sudden influx of visitors also caused some tension with villagers. With its narrow roads and limited parking, the small village struggled to accommodate the increased traffic. Local residents like Luis noticed a surge in rental cars and weekend visitors, causing parking chaos and long waits to navigate the one-way road along the coast. Luis adapted by avoiding driving on weekends to avoid the gridlock.
In addition to his murals, Rafa became known for giving away handmade bracelets to visitors, asking for no payment in return. His neighbour, Lala, recalls how the bracelets, along with the hearts, put Bocacangrejo on the map, attracting both locals and tourists.
Although some were opposed to the painted hearts due to the overcrowding they brought, many, like Lala, now mourn the loss of the village’s unique charm and the sadness it caused Rafa.
The vandalism that led to the painting out of the hearts deeply affected the artist. Locals reported seeing two hooded youths deface the murals with black and red graffiti. Though their identities remain unknown, the damage was enough to prompt Rafa to repaint the walls and floor himself, spending two nights covering the colourful hearts in plain grey and white.
Despite his heartbreak, Rafa’s efforts to bring love to the village resonated with many, and Bocacangrejo will forever hold a special place in the hearts of those who visited. Though the viral hearts have stopped beating, the spirit of Rafa’s art lives on in the memories of those who witnessed it.
