Liquitex, leading brand in acrylics and collaborator of # ArtMadrid18 launches a new range of cadmium-free colors with the same performance as acrylics with cadmium but safer for the artist and the environment. Do you join the challenge?

Liquitex cadmium free

Since its creation in 1955, Liquitex has partnered with artists to ensure constant evolution and innovation. As there is not a single opinion about the damage that can potentially be caused by cadmium pigments, Liquitex has chosen to offer both alternatives in parallel, so that artists can choose based on their personal preferences. ColArt, in constant search for safer formulations, (already they did it with the health and environmental implications of lead and stopped using white lead pigments in their formulations) it thus becomes the first brand in the market to launch an alternative to cadmium paints with a performance comparable to that of the original cadmium paints, and responds to the needs of artists who care more about health and enviroment safety issues.

Liquitex cadmium free

Throughout 3 years, a team of chemists has evaluated a range of pigments available to develop 7 new colors that respect our health and the environment: Light yellow, medium yellow, yellow dark, orange, light red, medium red and dark red, which offer the same resistance to light and vitality as classic cadmium paints and have the Approved Product Seal of the Art and Creative Materials Institute Institute (ACMI), that identifies safe art materials, that is, that the products that carry them have been evaluated by qualified toxicologists and labeled according to federal and state legislation.

Liquitex cadmium free

But, in addition to the toxicological test, it was essential to be tested by artists, the users. Liquitex identified regular users of acrylic paint and in particular of cadmium colors to carry out a series of tests (light resistance, longevity, pure tone of color, brightness, viscosity ...) Each artist received two sets of identical colors, one with genuine cadmium paints and one with cadmium-free paints. The tests were blind, without the artists knowing how one set of paintings differed from the other. They were given a month to work with both games and compare. They were also given a diary in which to write down observations during the evaluation period, as well as an exhaustive questionnaire at the end. None identified the fact that one of the two sets contained cadmium-free paints.

Liquitex wants artists to experience first-hand that the performance of alternative colors free of cadmium is truly comparable. Do you want to try this new CADMIUM FREE range? Do you want to receive one of its "blind tests"? Then enter the link and participate in the challenge: here

Liquitex cadmium free

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.