Art Madrid'26 – 17 Sol LeWitt`s Wall Paintings in Botin Foundation Santander

 

It is the most ambitious exhibition in Spain dedicated to this unique artist, considered by many as the father of conceptual art: Sol LeWitt. Sol LeWitt. 17 Wall Drawings. 1970-2015 will be from July 18 to January 10, 2016 in the exhibition hall of the Foundation Botín in Santander.

 

There are 16 unpublished drawings in Spain and most have not been exhibited since its first execution for 20 years, the seventeenth already seen in Madrid for more than ten years ago and all of them together, we speak of the principle that became a pillar of Sol LeWitt's work: the idea and its supremacy within the creative process of a work. The LeWitt himself always claimed that "the idea is generating machine art".

 

 

Organized in collaboration with the Yale University Art Gallery and The Estate of Sol LeWitt, the exhibition offers visitors a unique perspective of formal and conceptual evolution of mural drawing in the artist's career, the variety and persity of his artistic practice, forms (geometric figures, simple shapes, connected shapes, lines, organic forms, ...)and techniques (colored pencil, graphite, chalk, acrylic, ink ...).

 

The sample includes Wall Drawing 821A (March 2007), Wall Drawing 7A (July 2015), Wall Drawing 118 (December 1971), Wall Drawing 413 (March 1984), Wall Drawing 237 (June 1974), Wall Drawing 614 (July 1989) , Wall Drawing 620E (October 1989), Wall Drawing 51 (June 1970), Wall Drawing 46 (May 1970), Wall Drawing 869C (1998), Wall Drawing 280 (January 1976), Wall Drawing 386 (January 1983), Wall Drawing 110 (September 1971), Wall Drawing 154 (April 1973); Wall Drawing 157 (April, 1973), Wall Drawing 208 (October-November 1973) and Wall Drawing 213 (September 1973). Moreover, Wall Drawing 7A will be held for the first time in the exhibition hall of the Botín Foundation.

 

Complementing the exhibit, the public can watch the Wall Drawing # 499 (Flat-topped pyramid with color ink washes superimposed truncated -Pyramid ink washes superimposed color, 1986), installed in the auditorium of the Botin Foundation in Santander since 1992 and will be reinstalled for the exhibition.

 

 

The murals have been recreated by selected artists by the Botín Foundation, 15 artists (twelve of them Cantabria) out of 459 applications have been lucky enough to follow the guidelines, annotations, notes and notes of the creative process that many consider parents of conceptual art. LeWitt gave great value and importance to the creative process that leads the artwork, so many of his works, still alive, were performed by others with their advice.

 

In 1967 LeWitt published "Paragraphs on Conceptual Art", a true manifesto of Conceptual Art in which he stated: "each and every one of the steps -garabatos, sketches, drawings, models of discarded work, studies, or conversations- reflections that occur during the execution of the work, are of interest. Sometimes, those that show the thought process of the artist, are even more interesting than the final product. " And with that guidance they have been made the wall paintings in Santander.


ART MADRID’ 26: 21 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY ART


Discover all the information about the artists and galleries participating in the 21st edition of Art Madrid. The catalog features a curated selection of the works presented in this edition, along with the most relevant details of the event, making it an essential tool for engaging with the fair’s key figures and exploring the defining elements of today’s art scene.


In 2026, Art Madrid celebrates its 21st edition, further establishing itself as a leading event within Spain’s cultural sector. From March 4 to 8, the Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles will once again become a meeting point for galleries, collectors, artists, and contemporary art enthusiasts.


Over the past twenty-one years, the fair has evolved into a dynamic and ever-expanding platform, fostering diversity in artistic languages, techniques, and discourses. In this edition, the Galleries Program brings together around 35 exhibitors from more than seven countries, offering a representative overview of the most recent developments in contemporary creation.


The Art Madrid ’26 catalog serves as a key publication for discovering the work of this edition’s galleries and artists —marked by experimentation and a plurality of perspectives— while also documenting the conceptual axes that shape the fair. As part of the Parallel Program, INHABITING THE EPHEMERAL: A Reflection on the “Species” of Spaces proposes a reflection on space, relationships, and shared experience, expanding the understanding of the fair beyond its commercial dimension and highlighting its cultural and experiential significance.


In addition, the catalog presents the initiatives that complete the program, such as the Open Booth dedicated to emerging creation, the Nebrija Space in collaboration with Nebrija University, the Performance Series “Open Infinite. What the Body Remembers,” the One Shot Collectors Program, and the Patronage Program, reaffirming the fair’s commitment to supporting, mediating, and accompanying contemporary art at every stage.

We invite you to discover more about Art Madrid ’26 through the catalog of its 21st edition — a publication that, beyond serving as documentary memory, becomes a cartography of the present artistic moment and an open door to new ways of inhabiting contemporary art.