Photo by Lorena Esteban courtesy of TOO MANY FLASH

ART MADRID has proved in its coming-of-age edition that it is a fair without labels, generalist but alive. Celebrated at the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles from February the 22nd to the 26th, the contemporary art event has returned renovated, committed to new gallery models, launching reception platforms for young voices to find their place in the current scene, and interested in approaching new audiences to the project. The eighteenth edition of ART MADRID received the visit of important institutions such as: Centro Atlántico de Arte Moderno (CAAM), INELCOM Collection, CCCB Centro de Cultura Contemporánea de Barcelona, Centro Museo Vasco de Arte Contemporáneo (ARTIUM), Fundación Ankaria, Fundación Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary, Fundación Santander, Fundación Mª Cristina Masaveu Peterson, Fundación Telefónica, Fundación Tara Mujeres Emprendedoras, Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno (IVAM), Museo de Navarra, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS) among others.

ART MADRID brought together 36 national and international galleries and more than 160 artists at the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles. Their testimonials confirm the success of the edition and confirm the fair's desire to continue working for the professionalization of the sector.

OOA Gallery: "We are very satisfied with our second participation in ART MADRID. It was a very good edition, with the visit of many collectors and interest in African contemporary art. Total success."

Galerie LJ: "In our third participation, ART MADRID once again made it possible for us to meet with a huge Spanish audience, giving us the opportunity year after year to be able to expand our local network."

Galería Metro: "Our participation in ART MADRID'23 has been fantastic. The results exceeded our expectations: both in terms of visibility and sales of our artists, number of visitors, as well as new and interesting contacts."

Photo by Madelina Pana courtesy of TOO MANY FLASH

It is important to highlight the sales results: 10% of the works sold were priced at over 20,000 €; 14% were pieces between 8,000 and 20,000 €; 36% ranged between 3,000 and 8,000 €; while 40% of the acquisitions were of works in the range of up to 3,000 €. In view of these data, it could be concluded that ART MADRID is positioned as a fair to get started in collecting. It also highlights the presence of a bigger international public, specifically international collectors who want to expand their collections with Spanish artists.

The collections that made acquisitions in this edition include: Art Space Collection, Solo Collection, Mª Cristina Masaveu Peterson Collection, Cuperior Collection, Luciano Méndez Collection, BBVA Foundation, Bassat Foundation, Pamplona City Hall and Paradores Nacionales.

ART MADRID'23 has been possible thanks to the support of its sponsors: One Shot Hotels and Liquitex; its collaborators: AVAM, MMM, Safe Creative, Too many flash and 9915; and the institutions: Ministry of Culture and Sports, Madrid City Council, Community of Madrid, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Instituto de Arte Contemporáneo, Solo Collection, Fundación Mª Cristina Masaveu Peterson, Ministry of Culture of Taiwan and the Economic & Cultural Office of Taipei.

Photo by Madelina Pana courtesy of TOO MANY FLASH

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.