Art Madrid'25 – Max Bill in the Abstract Art Museum of Cuenca

 

The Museum of Abstract Art of Cuenca hosts the exhibition "Max Bill: artworks multiplied as original (1938-1994)", a magnificent example to know the 'concrete art' of this Swiss artist.

From June 24 to September 18 the spacious rooms of the Museum of Abstract Art will serve to approach the vast universe of the versatile artist Max Bill (1908-1994) which also was a painter and graphic designer architect, sculptor, publicist and educator.

 
 

 
 

Trained at the Bauhaus with teachers such as Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky and Josef Albers, Max Bill stressed soon as a researcher with theories about what was 'concrete art' , as Theo Van Doesburg advanced years before. Concretism was based on the total liberation of Abstract forms with any association with reality because, for them, the lines and the colors are sufficiently interesting for themselves.

 
 

 

 

Shapes, color, spot color, multiplicity and essence, the exhibition developes, with the guidance of the artist's son Jakob Bill, one of the leading experts in the work of his father, this is one of the few exhibitions dedicated in Spain to his graphic, multiple, experimental and diverse work, that has been synthesized in the hanging houses of Cuenca.

 

 
 
 

The exhibition "Max Bill: artworks multiplied as original (1938-1994)" is based on a text by the author in which dissects the concept of "originality" in the age of mechanical reproduction, very in tune with Benjamin, and offers the opportunity to see more than a hundred graphic works (121) and paints (7) around the notion of "form"/"shape", pillar of the theoretical research of the artist and his engine as an artist, architect and designer.

 

 

At the most recent edition of Art Madrid, artist Luis Olaso (Bilbao, 1986), represented by Kur Art Gallery (San Sebastián), received the Residency Prize of the Art Madrid Patronage Program. This award, the result of a collaboration between Art Madrid, DOM Art Residence, and the Italian association ExtrArtis, enabled him to undertake an artistic residency in Sorrento (Italy) in August 2025.

Through initiatives like this, the fair reaffirms its support for contemporary creation—a commitment aimed at increasing artists’ visibility and strengthening art collecting through concrete actions such as acquisition prizes, recognition of emerging talents, and international residencies.


Artists in Residence. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of Agata D’Esposito.


The DOM & ExtrArtis 2025 Residency Program took place in Sorrento from August 1 to 31, 2025. The artists lived together at Relais La Rupe, a 16th-century villa surrounded by cliffs and centuries-old gardens, which became an ideal setting for experimentation and exchange.

In this edition, residents worked around the theme “Reimagining Genius Loci”, an invitation to reflect on how the movement of people and traditions transforms the “spirit of place.” During the residency, DOM organized two public group exhibitions: the first to present the artists’ previous work, and the second to showcase the projects developed in Sorrento.


Work by Luis Olaso. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of Agata D’Esposito.


Luis Olaso’s work moves between expressionist figuration and abstraction, always employing a pictorial language charged with strength and emotion. Initially self-taught, he later graduated in Fine Arts and has developed a solid international career, with exhibitions at venues including JD Malat (London) and Makasiini Contemporary (Turku, Finland), and participation in fairs such as Untitled Miami, Estampa, and Art Madrid itself.

His work is part of prestigious collections, including the Tokyo Contemporary Art Foundation, Fundación SIMCO, and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, and has been recognized in competitions such as the Reina Sofía Prize for Painting and Sculpture and the Ibercaja Young Painting Prize.

In Sorrento, Olaso found a unique context to expand his pictorial research, engaging in dialogue with the Mediterranean landscape and the region’s historical heritage. The residency provided him with time, resources, and a framework for exchange with other international artists, fostering the production of new works that were later presented in the group exhibitions organized by DOM.


Luis Olaso working on his project. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of DOM.

Luis Olaso’s experience at DOM Art Residence concluded with a public showcase of the works produced, reinforcing his presence on the international circuit and consolidating his position as one of the most prominent Basque artists on the contemporary scene.


Through initiatives such as this, Art Madrid demonstrates its active role as a platform for direct support of contemporary creation, creating opportunities for research, production, and intercultural dialogue that extend beyond the fair itself and accompany artists in their professional development.