RAÍCES AFUERA. PERFORMANCE CYCLE X ART MADRID'25

Art Madrid celebrates twenty years of contemporary art from March 5 to 9, 2025, at the Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles. During Art Week, it becomes an exhibition platform for national and international galleries and artists. In this edition, with the aim of providing a space for artists working in the realm of performance art, the fair presents Raíces Afuera, a performance cycle that explores notions of belonging and the need for rootedness in a contemporary world marked by fragmentation, displacement, and disconnection. Positioned within the fair as a critical and reflective space, the project challenges the individual’s relationship with their environment, community, and sense of identity.

PERFORMANCE: ENSAYOS DE DESPLAZAMIENTOS. BY JOSEFINA BARDI

March 5 | 19:00h. Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles.

Ensayos de desplazamientos. 2025. Scketch. Josefina Bardi.

The project is framed within the artist's research on her relationship with her twin sister, a theme she has been exploring since 2018. Over this time, a series of live actions and visual experiences have been developed, linked to sculptural concepts such as weight, gravity, form, and space—all in tension with the notion of duplicity. This research examines how two twin bodies connect and interact with each other, as well as with the spaces/territories they inhabit. Within this context, "taking root" is approached through the displacement of bodies, exploring the theme of connection and its relationship with distance and territory.

The idea of duplicity is explored by inviting a questioning of personal connections through the positioning of twin bodies in situations of tension with suggestive architectural spaces. The concept of space is referenced, particularly in relation to the distance that has separated the artist from her sister since 2022, a distance that conditions and challenges the notions of physical territory, time, communication, emotions, and affections.

This project proposes a series of "encounter rehearsals." The idea of encounter is understood as a poetic conceptualization of bodies situated in a space-time-place, intertwining verbs—words—and actions to create a choreography of encounters. Through displacement, crossing, jumping, and traversing the space, these actions create micro-affective architectures.

VERB / ACTION

1 WALK - DRAG

2 SEE/HEAR/SPEAK - THROW

3 STAND - JUMP

Three micro-affective architectures will be built, each linked to an action—throw, launch, and drag—through the choice of three verbs: walk, stand, and see/hear/speak. These actions will allow the construction of the piece.

Remove from the Root. 2024. Performance Documentation. Josefina Bardi.

ABOUT JOSEFINA BARDI

Josefina Bardi Prida (Santiago, Chile, 1996) is a visual artist and educator, currently based in Madrid, Spain. She holds a degree in Visual Arts from the Universidad Diego Portales and has complemented her education with a Master's in Plastic, Artistic, and Visual Education from Universidad Nebrija and the Instituto Cervantes. Her teaching career spans institutions in Chile and Spain, where she has worked as an art teacher and collaborator in workshops with prominent artists.

In her professional career, she has been the head of the ceramics workshop at Brio Atelier, production and artwork assistant for artists such as Cristóbal Ochoa, Camila Ramírez, and Sebastián Mahaluf, and has also worked in graphic design.

Her work has been recognized with various awards, including First Place in the Municipal Award for Young Art of Santiago (2024) and the PAAL residency at Zapadores Ciudad del Arte (2023). She has held solo exhibitions in Santiago and Madrid, and participated in numerous collective shows across America and Europe, including the Biennial at the Museum of Memory and the MAC Quinta Normal.

Art Madrid presents the second edition of its Patronage Program, an initiative aimed at reinforcing its commitment to contemporary artistic production and the promotion of collecting. The program articulates several lines of support designed to enhance the visibility of participating artists, promote recognition of emerging careers, and consolidate sustainable relationships among artists, galleries, and collectors—thereby strengthening the professional ecosystem surrounding the fair.

This edition is supported by leading institutions, private collections, and companies committed to the development of contemporary art. The involvement of the private sector is essential in consolidating a sustainable model of support for artistic creation, understanding investment in art as a driver of innovation, prestige, and cultural responsibility. The program is further reinforced by the active participation of patrons who, through acquisitions and support of emerging artists, contribute to generating tangible opportunities and strengthening the artistic landscape.

Within this framework, the program includes the One Shot Hotels Revelation Award, a distinction intended to highlight a proposal that, through its singularity and strength, makes a particularly powerful entrance into the contemporary landscape. Through this award, One Shot Hotels, official sponsor of Art Madrid’26, reinforces its commitment to increasing visibility and supporting new voices within the contemporary art scene.

Meanwhile, the Cervezas Alhambra Emerging Artist Award focuses on the projection and consistency of a developing career, recognizing sustained processes and distinctive artistic languages within the most recent generation of creators. Through this initiative, Cervezas Alhambra reaffirms its commitment to new generations and to the ongoing support of contemporary artistic production.

The artists recognized in both awards will be announced shortly.

Acquisition Awards

Four entities — Studiolo Collection, E2IN2 Collection, Devesa Law, and dn2 Collection — reaffirm their commitment to contemporary art through the acquisition of works by artists participating in the fair. Their engagement not only contributes to the dissemination of contemporary art but also supports artists’ professional development and strengthens the collecting ecosystem. These initiatives are essential to ensuring the continuity and long-term projection of artistic careers. Through these Acquisition Awards, the selected works will enter prominent private collections, guaranteeing their preservation, study, and circulation within the art world.

About One Shot Hotels

One Shot Hotels is a collection of 14 boutique hotels located in prime areas of Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, San Sebastián, and Porto. In 2026, the brand will expand to three new destinations: Ibiza, Lisbon, and Bilbao.

Each hotel reflects a commitment to design, creativity, and aesthetics, authentically integrating art and culture throughout its spaces. More than accommodations, the hotels are places with soul—each environment conveys artistic sensibility and attention to detail, offering guests a memorable stay that combines comfort, style, and culture.

Proximity, innovation, and a passion for the arts define the brand’s identity and shape how One Shot Hotels connects people with the creativity of each city in which it operates. The hotel group brings art and culture closer to guests and visitors, fostering authentic connections between its spaces and the creative spirit of each location.

About Cervezas Alhambra

Art Madrid is officially sponsored by Cervezas Alhambra, in line with its longstanding commitment to supporting contemporary artistic creation.

True to its philosophy, the brand promotes initiatives that celebrate unhurried craftsmanship, artisanal dedication, and the beauty found in details—values it has cultivated for over a century since its origins in Granada. Its support of artistic creation reflects a way of living and experiencing through all five senses, inviting audiences to slow down and engage with experiences that go beyond the purely visual.

Its cultural engagement is a natural extension of its brewing philosophy: a process rooted in knowledge, passion, and dedication, resulting in unique, authentic, and memorable creations. In this way, Cervezas Alhambra continues to accompany artists and creators, emphasizing process and reminding us that—just as in art—there is an essential ingredient in its beers: time.

About Colección Studiolo

Colección Studiolo, founded by Candela Álvarez Soldevilla, is a private initiative dedicated to the acquisition and promotion of modern and contemporary art. Inspired by the concept of the studiolo as a space for contemplation and thought, the collection brings together works across diverse artistic languages, with particular attention to 20th-century avant-gardes and contemporary artists. It understands collecting as a long-term commitment and sustained support for artistic practice.

About E2IN2 Collection

E2IN2 is an entity engaged in projects that generate significant economic and social value. The organization supports artistic talent and is currently seeking collaborators with whom to exhibit works from its art collection.

About Devesa Law

Devesa is a national law firm specialized in business law. Its mission is to provide value to companies, investors, and institutions operating in Spain through outstanding legal and tax services. Founded in 2007, the firm currently maintains offices in Madrid, Alicante, and Valencia, from which it serves clients nationwide.

About dn2 Collection

Colección dn2, based in Gran Canaria, is a private initiative dedicated to the acquisition and promotion of national and international contemporary art. Since its inception, it has developed a continuously growing collection characterized by diversity of artistic languages and a strong commitment to emerging and mid-career artists. The collection views acquisition as a long-term act of support and commitment to artists’ careers.