Art Madrid'25 – WE FINALLY COUNT ON AN IBERIAN ART MUSEUM

 

 

 

This initiative involves opening a second stage of life for the prison, originally completed in 1927, and that during the early Franco period had overflowed its capacity to accommodate 4,000 inmates. This prison had been left empty in 1991 after the construction of a new, more modern centre. In 1998, the idea of transforming it into a museum arose. Today, almost 20 years later and with a budget of 27 million, this impossible dream of remodelling, design and cultural destiny finally opens up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The museum is destined to accommodate an enormous collection of Iberian art pieces, a culture that gave a name to our peninsula and that left us an intangible legacy present in many aspects of our daily life, customs, gastronomy and language. In addition, it hosts an essential fund for the study of this society, which allows us to delve into the role that women had in an eminently matriarchal structure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The woman, in the Iberian culture, was considered a deity and a fundamental piece in the gearing of the group's own structure. However, her role has often been hidden in the showings present today in various exhibition halls. The title of this inaugural exhibition aims to vindicate this essential role and offer a vision closer to the cultural reality of our ancestors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

40% of the pieces included in this exhibition had not been exposed ever before. It is a unique opportunity to get closer to know our history a little more, in a venue of 11,152 m2 that will devote 2,500 m2 to its permanent collection. And this is just the beginning. By 2018, several thematic cycles have already been programmed with conferences, children's workshops, temporary exhibitions ... A second opportunity very well exploited.

 

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.