The origins of the art of action can be located in the Dadaist and Surrealist movements of 1920, where the first events or encounters in which the terms collage or assemblage are consolidated sprung up. However, it was not until the 1960s that these manifestations acquired their own entity and became an independent art movement. Action art, also called live art, delves into the idea that you cannot separate the artistic creation process from your own experience, as if everything was connected and true art is what takes place in the processes, not both in the materialised results.

Olga Diego getting ready for the performance. Photo by Marc Cisneros

Allan Kaprow, an artist born in Atlantic City and who gave true meaning to the terms happening or performance, contributed to the evolution of this idea. In the view of this author, art makes sense in the artist's relationship with the viewer in the process of artistic creation itself. Kaprow coined a famous quote on this movement:

The line between art and life should be kept as fluid, and perhaps indistinct, as possible.

A tireless artist, he contributed significantly to fluxus and body art movements, and carried out countless "activities" (as he called them) throughout his career. Today we owe a lot to this pioneer, who let himself be carried away by the creative impulse channelled into actions where the ephemeral and the experiential merge.

Eunice Artur & Bruno Gonçalves during their performance. Photo by Sara Junquera

Today performance art continues to arouse enormous curiosity, even 60 years after it was born. However, within the history of art, it remains a still novel and minority trend. Precisely for this reason, Art Madrid wanted to give to action art a room into the fair and share with the big public an artistic experience, different from the exhibition offer of the participating galleries, so that contact with today’s contemporary pulse would become a memory, an event, an experience. The momentary, ephemeral nature of these actions, in such a way that they only exist in the here and now, makes each proposal doubly interesting because it is totally unrepeatable.

The “Art Madrid-Proyector’20” program included four actions during the days of the fair. We have had the opportunity to remember two of the performances in which sound and video image dominated, by Iván Puñal and Arturo Moya and Ruth Abellán. Today we give way to the other two, whose main characteristic is the generation of an intimate space, a kind of parallel reality that raises doubts in the viewer about what they are seeing and how they should understand it.

Eunice Artur during her performance. Photo by Sara Junquera

One of these works was “Partidura”, by the Portuguese artist Eunice Artur in collaboration with Bruno Golçalves, which took place on Thursday 27th at 8 pm. This project explores the idea of developing a musical notation for new forms of electronic sound, and it does so through a live intervention that incorporates plant elements, strings that vibrate with the sound and a lot of charcoal dust so that the sound waves move the elements and “draw” their own graphic representation. The performance shows Eunice interacting with these elements while Bruno makes amplified sounds with an electric guitar. The set is mysterious and poetic at the same time. The desire to transform sound into a pictorial expression unfolds in delicate, measured and stealthy actions to interfere as little as possible in the process. Eunice moves between graphite powder-coated sheets of paper hanging from the ceiling, looking for the proper angle to vibrate strings running diagonally across the sheets. This live creation process is based on waiting and contemplation, wrapped in music that seems like a mantra from other lands.

Olga Diego and Mario Gutiérrez Cru before the performace. Photo by Marc Cisneros

The last performance of the cycle was starred by Olga Diego, on Saturday 29th. The entrance of the fair transformed into an improvised stage in which the artist carried out her action "The bubble woman show". Olga Diego has been working on the concept of flight and its integration into art for some time through artefacts that can fly autonomously, without combustion. One of her most ambitious projects on this subject is “The automated garden”, an enormous installation of a hundred inflatable figures made of transparent plastic that occupied the 1,000 m2 of the Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art and the Lonja del Pescado Exhibition Hall, also in Alicante. This proposal, in addition to delving into research on the lightness of materials and the ability to stay suspended with maximum energy savings, it is an open criticism of the excessive use of plastic in our environment and its aberrant power of contamination.

Photo by Ricardo Perucha

"The bubble woman show" is an action that involves the viewer. Olga enters a giant bubble of translucent plastic keeping the air inside, and thus, as if she were a soap bubble, she moves through space until she invites someone from the public to enter the bubble with her and share an intimate moment. This personal dialogue is the most unknown and mysterious part of the process and invites us to reflect on situations of isolation, on the return to the mother's womb, on the need to protect ourselves from the excessive noise of this fast-paced world.

Both actions aroused the amazement of the visitors and turned the fair into a space in which live art played a transforming role within the wide artistic offer that the event displays each year.

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.