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Some coincidences seem destined to become a great campaign.

The sky will go dark on August 12. Santander will light a new Lighthouse on September 8. A communication opportunity that is unlikely to happen again.

Just 27 days separate these two dates. The first will be a once-in-a-century event: the first total solar eclipse visible from mainland Spain in more than 100 years.

The second marks the opening of Faro Santander, the new cultural center promoted by Santander Foundation, housed in the historic Pereda Building following its transformation by David Chipperfield, winner of the 2023 Pritzker Prize. Designed as an open space where art, culture and innovation meet, it will open with an exceptional collection spanning five centuries of art. Without a doubt, one of the cultural milestones of the year.

When I realized these two events would take place less than a month apart, I felt the idea already existed.

It simply needed someone to see it.

That’s how this piece was born.

The concept was simple: what if the eclipse became the perfect prologue to the opening of a building whose very purpose is to illuminate culture?

It wasn’t an easy project.

Halfway through the process, Google removed Nano Banana 2 from Google Earth, the tool I was using to build the geospatial foundation of the image. I had to rebuild much of the scene using AI, Photoshop and advanced compositing techniques to preserve both the real location and the precise astronomical path of the eclipse.

It was a significant technical challenge, but also a reminder that tools change constantly.

Ideas are still the only thing truly worth chasing.

Nobody commissioned this artwork.

I simply believed that such an extraordinary coincidence deserved to be told.

Santander Foundation, if this idea resonates with you as much as it does with me, I believe there’s still time to turn it into something more than a creative exercise.

And if your brand or institution has a milestone waiting to be transformed into a compelling story, I’d be delighted to help you find it.

Let’s talk.

#ArtDirection #Advertising #FaroSantander #Eclipse2026