Art Madrid, sponsored by One Shot Hotels, launches: "One Shot Collectors", a Collectors Program integrated into the heart of the fair with the commitment to continue building bridges to bring the public closer to contemporary art. One Shot Hotels is a young chain of boutique hotels with meticulous design and an unbeatable location in the center of Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla, Barcelona, San Sebastián and Oporto.

The interest in collecting art can become a true passion based on various criteria, be they historical-artistic, aesthetic, emotional, social or economic. All of them result in an aesthetic and personal exercise. Owning art is experiential, from meeting the artist to understanding and sharing the discourse behind the work. Building a collection is also a way to invest in something tangible and secure that could offer significant payback in the future. But above all, it is an essential support for the creative economy.

An art collection is something that must evolve gradually, that must be built over time, always based on information according to our interests. The main thing is to enjoy the experience of seeing art, not to be intimidated, and to trust our taste. But how do we decide what to focus on and which direction to go? Where do we start? How do we relate one purchase to the next?

A good acquisition occurs by following one's tastes, learning to recognize what attracts and interests us, while informing ourselves before and during the purchase. Collecting can be an emotional journey, one of knowledge with a social or economic background, or simply an aesthetic and personal exercise. That is why the accompaniment of an advisor when acquiring art is always a clear point, just as it is to have the endorsement of a gallery that supports and legitimizes the work of art.

© Photo by Christian Monsalve. Courtesy from TOO MANY FLASH

The professional advice of an expert is a "safe" and coherent way of deciding the collector, in addition to promoting and maximizing the quality and value of his collection, also seeks to enrich the shopping experience and its enjoyment. For this, in this edition of Art Madrid, we will have a space for advice by Ana Suárez Gisbert, Art Advisor, Law Degree, and Expert Appraiser with extensive experience in the art market. This advisory service is designed for experienced collectors, those looking for their first collector's item, and even corporate collectors looking to reflect their brand values ​​in an art collection. Thus, the Art Madrid'23 collecting program considers the different profiles, needs, and preferences, by generating a personalized tour and orientation.

Whether due to lack of time or desire to receive professional guidance, our Art Advisor will be able to find and prepare a selection of works of art according to the requirements and budget of each buyer, as well as help negotiate the acquisition of a construction site.

Collecting can start from a desire for knowledge and exploration at an aesthetic, social, economic, or even business level. At Art Madrid, we encourage collecting for those people and companies that want to bet on patronage and investment. This initiative is aimed at both professionals in the sector and lovers of contemporary art who are thinking of starting collecting or continuing to build their collection. Art Madrid offers a wide range of possibilities when it comes to acquiring works from disciplines such as: photography, painting, sculpture or installation, within a wide range of prices.

The advisory service is part of the "One Shot Collectors" program and is free for those who request it with prior registration. Request more information via email vip@art-madrid.com

From July 7 to 9, 2025, the Balsera Palace will host the First Course on Collecting and Contemporary Art, an intensive 15-hour program that will explore the complex and fundamental question of taste in contemporary art. Organized by the Nebrija Institute of Arts and Humanities at Nebrija University and the Avilés City Council, in collaboration with 9915 — Association of Private Collectors of Contemporary Art and the Institute of Contemporary Art, the course offers a unique opportunity for analysis and debate on the dynamics that shape aesthetic and symbolic value in today’s art scene.

First Course on Collecting and Contemporary Art. Avilés, Asturias

The notion of taste, intrinsically tied to aesthetic judgments and power relations, has played a decisive role in the historical prominence of artists and artworks. However, contemporary art—marked by its breaking of conventions, diversity of media and techniques, and critical stance toward traditional canons—raises fundamental questions about the continued relevance of this concept.

This course will explore how the decisions made by key players in the art system—institutions, private collections, galleries, curators, and artists—continually redefine a field of taste shaped by aesthetic, symbolic, cultural, social, and political logics.

"¿But does it exist, and what is the prevailing taste of our time—so seemingly confused, fragmented, indecipherable?" - Omar Calabrese, The Neo-Baroque Era.

The academic program, directed by José Luis Guijarro Alonso, Director of the Master’s in Art Market and Related Business Management at Nebrija University, and Pablo Álvarez de Toledo, Head of the Department of Arts at Nebrija University and the Nebrija Institute of Arts and Humanities, will bring together a distinguished group of national experts—including collectors, critics, curators, gallery owners, and artists—whose contributions will address key issues in shaping aesthetic, symbolic, and market value in today’s art world.

PROGRAM

MONDAY, JULY 7

9:30 AM Registration.

10:00 AM Course Opening Nebrija University Avilés City Council Presented by Rosario López Meras – President of the Association of Contemporary Art Collectors, 9915, and Adrián Piera – President of the ICA, Institute of Contemporary Art.

10:30 AM Course Presentation By José Luis Guijarro Alonso – Art Historian and Anthropologist, Researcher, and Director of the Master’s in Art Market and Related Business Management at Nebrija University.

11:00 AM Coffee Break.

11:30 AM Panel Discussion The Taste of Private Collecting as a Prelude to History. Speakers: Candela Álvarez Soldevilla – Entrepreneur and Collector; Javier Quilis – INELCOM Collection; José Miguel Vegas Valle – Collector. Moderator: Luis Feás – Critic and Curator.

1:00 PM Lunch Break.

3:30 PM Individual Lecture On Good Taste in Contemporary Art. Speaker: Marisol Salanova – Curator and Art Critic, Director of Arteinformado.

4:45 PM Panel Discussion The Influence of Galleries in Shaping Contemporary Taste. Speakers: Elba Benítez – Gallerist; Ricardo Pernas – Gallerist (Arniches 26); Aurora Vigil-Escalera – Gallerist. Moderator: Rafael Martín – Coleccion@casamer.

6:00 PM End of Day.

6:30 PM Activity and Cocktail Visit to the Exhibition Asturian Artists in the Pérez Simón Collection – Avilés.

TUESDAY, JULY 8

10:00 AM Individual Lecture Contemporary (Bad) Taste: Kitsch, Camp, and Tacky. Speaker: Julio Pérez Manzanares – Autonomous University of Madrid.

11:00 AM Coffee Break.

11:30 AM Panel Discussion Institutions and the Formation of Contemporary Taste. Speakers: Virginia López – Artist, Founder of PACA_Proyectos Artísticos Casa Antonino; Julieta de Haro – Artistic Director of CentroCentro; Carlos Urroz – Director of Institutional Relations, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. Moderator: Laura Gutiérrez – Director, School of Art of Oviedo.

1:00 PM Lunch Break.

3:30 PM Panel Discussion Beyond the Eye: The Taste for Ethical, Ecological, Social, or Political Concerns in Contemporary Art. Speakers: Semíramis González – Independent Curator; Eugenio Ampudia – Artist; Claudia Rodríguez-Ponga – Independent Curator. Moderator: Bárbara Mur Borrás – PhD in Fine Arts.

5:00 PM End of Day.

5:30 PM Activity Visit to the Studiolo Exhibition – Candela Álvarez Soldevilla Collection.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9

9:30 AM Meeting with Asturian Artists Speakers: María Castellanos – Artist; Avelino Sala – Artist; Consuelo Vallina – Artist. Moderator: Pablo Álvarez de Toledo – Nebrija University.

11:00 AM Activity Visit to the Niemeyer Center – Avilés.

Course Closing Ceremony.

This course is designed for art professionals, collectors, researchers, and students seeking an in-depth analysis of the dynamics that shape taste and collecting practices in contemporary art. Adopting a critical and multidisciplinary perspective, it provides a unique opportunity to rigorously examine the aesthetic, symbolic, and structural factors that underpin the legitimization of contemporary art.