Art Madrid'26 – ECHOES OF A FAR VIBRATION: MORE THAN HUMANS

The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and TBA21 (Thyssen-Bornemisza Contemporary Art) have just opened the exhibition "More than humans" that will be open to the public until December 1st.

This exhibition brings together the work of Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster and Tomás Saraceno, under the curating of Stefanie Hessler, in the third project of collaboration between both institutions so far. With these cooperation proposals, the Thyssen Museum expands its connection with contemporary art and explores ways to generate a dialogue between both collections.

Tomás Saraceno, “How to catch the universe in a spider web?”, 2018

Hessler has always been interested in interdisciplinary creative processes and the desire to share the work of artists and researchers who feed on different sources. This has led her to manage projects where art coexists with other disciplines to enrich a shared message that allows addressing issues from different perspectives. In this exhibition, the viewer is invited to ask questions about topics related to technology, artificial intelligence or the power of the unknown. The coexistence of the work of these two artists, apparently so disparate, articulates through the idea of vibration: the one that causes the sound or movement of objects in space, and the one that perceives a receiver, as a passive listener or as a being connected to a sensor network.

Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster, “Opera (QM.15)”, 2016. Video-intallation. Thyssen-Bornemisza Art Contemporary Collection. Photo: Andrea Rossetti

The strange link that originates between these works requires an interpretive effort to understand the subtlety of the approach, but everything makes sense in this space inhabited by works of art and waiting to receive visitors to unravel those mysteries.

The recent work of Tomás Saraceno has focused on investigating the development of spiders, which has led him to collaborate with geologists and entomologists to examine the behaviour of these arthropods and study their architectures. In the exhibition, one of his latest work "How to catch the universe in a spider web?", a large installation that mimics the networks that weave arachnids, will be present. With these delicate structures, we realise the subtlety of the movement of the air, of the soft tensions that occur with each vibration.

Tomás Saraceno, “Hybrid semi-social solitary Instrument HD 74874” built by: a triplet of Cyrtophora citricola - four weeks and a solo Agelena labyrinthica - one week, 2019

For his part, Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster enters the scene with a piece from his latest project, in which he recovers famous characters thanks to the support of technology. In “Opera (QM.15)”, the artist himself plays the role of the soprano María Callas thanks to a holographic illusion. Synchronising his movements with the sound, when reproducing some of the most famous arias that the singer interpreted, he creates a spooky effect that makes its way between the rooms of the museum. Here, the vibrations of the voice will be those that move the threads of the cobwebs, revealing the relationship between these works.

 


ART MADRID’ 26: 21 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY ART


Discover all the information about the artists and galleries participating in the 21st edition of Art Madrid. The catalog features a curated selection of the works presented in this edition, along with the most relevant details of the event, making it an essential tool for engaging with the fair’s key figures and exploring the defining elements of today’s art scene.


In 2026, Art Madrid celebrates its 21st edition, further establishing itself as a leading event within Spain’s cultural sector. From March 4 to 8, the Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles will once again become a meeting point for galleries, collectors, artists, and contemporary art enthusiasts.


Over the past twenty-one years, the fair has evolved into a dynamic and ever-expanding platform, fostering diversity in artistic languages, techniques, and discourses. In this edition, the Galleries Program brings together around 35 exhibitors from more than seven countries, offering a representative overview of the most recent developments in contemporary creation.


The Art Madrid ’26 catalog serves as a key publication for discovering the work of this edition’s galleries and artists —marked by experimentation and a plurality of perspectives— while also documenting the conceptual axes that shape the fair. As part of the Parallel Program, INHABITING THE EPHEMERAL: A Reflection on the “Species” of Spaces proposes a reflection on space, relationships, and shared experience, expanding the understanding of the fair beyond its commercial dimension and highlighting its cultural and experiential significance.


In addition, the catalog presents the initiatives that complete the program, such as the Open Booth dedicated to emerging creation, the Nebrija Space in collaboration with Nebrija University, the Performance Series “Open Infinite. What the Body Remembers,” the One Shot Collectors Program, and the Patronage Program, reaffirming the fair’s commitment to supporting, mediating, and accompanying contemporary art at every stage.

We invite you to discover more about Art Madrid ’26 through the catalog of its 21st edition — a publication that, beyond serving as documentary memory, becomes a cartography of the present artistic moment and an open door to new ways of inhabiting contemporary art.