Art Madrid'25 – CULTURAL AGENDA IN MARCH’18

We make a small review of our cultural agenda in Madrid in the month of March, with interesting proposals that you cannot miss.

For the nostalgic people, an exhibition designed to recall the moments of childhood full of imagination and adventures: "Historietas del Tebeo: 1917-1977", in the ABC Museum. From El Capitán Trueno to Tom Thumb, this showing includes a total of 300 works that go through our national history of the band designed since the birth of the "TBO". Until March 16th.

Cover of the no. 107 of “El Capitán Trueno”

"Generación 2018" in La Casa Encendida presents the work of the winners in the latest call Generations, in which more than 500 artists under 35 have participated. 10 projects of young creators in a sample curated by Ignacio Cabrero, in which the main common point is the concern for the current state of contemporary society, with its weaknesses and strengths. Until April 15th.

Serafín Álvarez, from the project “Umbral”, photography, 2017.

Among the classics, the exhibition devoted to Toulouse-Lautrec in the Canal de Isabel II Foundation is essential, which includes for the first time in Spain one of the broadest collections of advertising posters produced by this author of the Belle Époque. The exhibition presents 33 original posters in a collection of 65 works, by other contemporaries such as Mucha or Cheret. An essential visit to immerse yourself in the Paris of the early 20th century. Until May 6th.

Toulouse-Lautrec. “Jane Avril”, 1899. Image by courtesy of Musée d’Ixelles

The photographer Ed van der Elsken has in our country his first great retrospective. The Bárbara de Braganza show-room of the Mapfre Foundation presents this collection of one of the most cosmopolitan authors of the 20th century, in which his role as a filmmaker and editor is also explored. The exhibition has been organised by the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and will be open until May 20th.

Ed van der Elsken, “Girl in the subway, Tokyo”, photography, 1981. Photo: © Ed van der Elsken / Collection Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam.

Nor can we forget the exhibition "Warhol. El arte mecánico" in CaixaForum Madrid. After passing through Barcelona, this collection lands in the capital to present a proposal that reflects on the artistic production in series and the role of the artist in this process, where Warhol is its main exponent. Until May 6th.

Warhol. El arte mecánico

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.