Art Madrid, which will be held from February 23 to 27 at the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles, has selected 5 works that will be donated to the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (MMAC), which depends on the Madrid City Council. The selected pieces are: 'Isabel II' by Kepa Garraza; 'Humo VI' by Isabel Alonso Vega; 'Palacio de Cristal' and 'Madrid, Gran Vía, 2018' by Leticia Felgueroso; and 'Flexia 9' by Toño Barreiro. The four Spanish artists have an already consolidated career within the contemporary art scene in our country and with an important international projection. The works are currently on display at the fair and once it is over, this Sunday, February 27, they will be moved to the museum so that they can be admired by all visitors.

Kepa Garraza

Isabel II, 2021

Carbón comprimido sobre papel

100 x 75cm

Las piezas elegidas son:

"Isabel II' by Kepa Garraza made in compressed charcoal on paper in 2021. The works of Kepa Garraza (Berango, Vizcaya, 1979) reflect on the nature of the images we consume every day. Through fictitious scenarios where a parallel reality is recreated, he invites the viewer to question issues related to identity and the manipulation of information. His work questions official discourses, and questions the processes of institutional legitimization. His ironic and acid look offers alternatives to the reality we know and proposes a healthy exercise: to always doubt the official version. This piece can be seen at Victor Lope Contemporary Art Gallery.

Isabel Alonso Vega

Humo VI, 2018

Fumes and methacrylate

50 x 50cm

'Humo VI', exhibited at Hispánica Contemporánea gallery, is Isabel Alonso Vega's sculpture created with smoke and methacrylate in 2018. The works of Isabel Alonso (Madrid, 1968) speak of the intangible, of that which is there but can hardly be seen, it is almost impossible to touch, let alone catch. The intangible becomes present and presents itself enclosed, but not immobile, since the forms have their own life and change according to the lighting and the perspective from where you look at them.

Leticia Felgueroso

Madrid, Gran Vía 2018, 2018

Fotografía y gelatina de plata sobre papel RC

150 x 205cm

The photographs 'Palacio de Cristal' and 'Madrid, Gran Vía 2018', exhibited at the BAT Alberto Cornejo gallery, are two of the pieces that will be donated belonging to Leticia Felgueroso. The works of Felgueroso (Madrid, 1963) are based on urban scenes of an attractive chromatism that make us imagine a different city. Her photographs can be found in numerous Spanish embassies around the world and she has been commissioned by entities such as Ifema or the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum.

Toño Barreiro

Flexia 9, 2018

Esmalte sobre aluminio

65 x 65cm

'Flexia 9' by Toño Barreiro, made in enamel on aluminum in 2018, is another of the pieces that will be incorporated into the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art and can be seen at Shiras Galería. Toño Barreiro (Zamora, 1965) has been developing, since the mid-1980s, a multidisciplinary work that alternates photography, painting, sculpture and digital processes. In his work we can observe a whole series of new methodologies and creative processes that give rise to sinuous and synaesthetic paintings, playing with the concept of deconstruction, the symbiotic or the most elementary biological processes.

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.