The concept behind the 2023 Madrid Carnival poster was to merge celebration with distinctive elements of the city’s history. The poster features the iconic Fuente de Neptuno (Neptune’s Fountain) dressed up for Carnival: the god Neptune himself, along with the other elements of the sculptural fountain (hippocampi and fish), are costumed as Velázquez, Las Meninas, chulapos and chulapas in their traditional Madrid attire, and figures inspired by the 1980s Madrid countercultural movement known as the Movida Madrileña.
The illustration was designed and delivered with layering in mind, making it easier for the in-house design team at Ayuntamiento de Madrid to adapt the design across the event’s many applications.