For another edition, Natalia Alonso Arduengo (Madrid, 1984) will be the curator in charge of carrying out the program, which will revolve around the theme of IDENTITY, taking as its starting point the verses of the poem Otherness by Mario Benedetti:

They always advised me to be someone else / and they even suggested that I had / notorious qualities to be someone else / that's why my future was in otherness the only problem has always been / my congenital stubbornness / I foolishly didn't want to be someone else / therefore I continued to be someone else same.

Otherness. Mario Benedetti.

The concept of identity will be analyzed in a contemporaneity marked by alienation, the uses of technologies and the keys of gender, class and race. How do we see ourselves? What image do we project? Who do we want to be? What social conventions impose a particular way of being in the world? Can we generate a new conception of the self?

Art Madrid'23 Curated Program will be dedicated to young artists as a platform for visibility during Madrid Art Week, an event par excellence for contemporary art at a national level. It is proposed as institutional support from the fair to allow four creators the possibility to show their projects in an event and commercial space such as an art fair. Will be articulated with an installation by the artist Dela Delos (Oviedo, 1992), an installation painting by Lorena Gutiérrez (Havana 1987) and two performances that will take place during the days of the fair; the performers are Agnes Essonti (Barcelona 1996) and Alexia Sayago (Madrid. 1995). Over the next few weeks, we will discover more in-depth the works and performances of these four creators.

On the other hand, to relate the program with the proposal of the participating galleries, it is proposed to continue with the curated tour. This tour starts from a selection of works from the stands of various exhibitors, forming an itinerary to follow under the curated speech of the edition. An itinerary from the concept of "identity" will guide us through the fair, reflecting on various issues: How do we see ourselves? Who do we want to be? What image do we project? What social conventions impose a particular way of being in the world? Is our identity as clear as we think, or is it constantly reformulated throughout our lives?

Artists and galleries on the tour: Raquel Algaba from the Arancha Osoro Gallery; Roger Sanguino of DDR Art Gallery; Federico Granell from the Metro Gallery; Jorge Hernández from the Aurora Vigil-Escalera Gallery; Carsten Brauer from the Uxval Gochez Gallery; Chamo San from the N2 Gallery; Dr.Robot Gallery's Costa Gorel; Oliver Okolo of OOA Gallery; Jordi Díaz Alamá from Inéditat Galería; and Xurxo Gómez-Chao from Moret Art.

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.