A new generation of artists returns to work with materials to check their expressive potential. With less interventionist proposals, there is a return to exploration, to the search for the aesthetic and creative possibilities of the raw material. As a result, there are works with a significant visual load that convey very diverse themes. The discourse acquires another depth, more material and plastic, condensed in the use of fabrics and layers of paper. We bring you three authors who conceive creation as an intimately manual process, who work with materials in a physical and contact way to build their own language away from the traditional discipline.

Victoria Santesmases

Palabras que hieren II, 2018

Pintura, clavos

90 x 110cm

Victoria Santesmases

Nidos, 2014

Cortes en papel Creyser

37 x 41cm

Victoria Santesmases

Palabras que hieren III, 2018

Paint on paper

90 x 110cm

The work of Victoria Santesmases is very representative of the double life that materials may have. Her latest project develops around pain, its presence and its plastic representation in an abstract and essentialist way. In these cases, a simple stroke of colour, the contrasts of textures and the folds or grooves marked on the paper refer to the representation of the wound, as a tangible element that conveys the sensation of pain, be it physical or emotional. With this subtle work that declines any excess to focus only on the detail, the bare material retains a communicative potential of great impact, where words are superfluous and where the interpretation of the spectator completes the piece to provide its own personal and intimate meaning. Santesmases synthesises in her pieces, where the colour is hardly visible, deep emotions with a simple, clean and plastic proposal that perforates the papers and the layers, opens, bends and tears them in an attempt to transmit the impression that the deep feelings leave, there where no one enters.

Fernando Daza

Círculo naranja rayado, 2018

Paper cut by hand and glued on fabric

50 x 50cm

Fernando Daza

Cuadro negro sobre círculo rojo, 2016

Paper cut by hand and glued on fabric

100 x 100cm

Fernando Daza

Círculo blanco y negro rayado, 2018

Paper cut by hand and glued on fabric

75 x 75cm

Fernando Daza is another artist focused on work on paper to recreate patterns and motifs that refer us to the oriental aesthetic, with a right balance between colour and shape. With his technique, pieces acquire a volume that comes out of the plane, a three-dimensional aspect composed of slashed cut-offs that live together creating waves and modulations. The game of light and shadow, the cleanliness of the contours, the neatness of the compositions, make the work of Daza an exquisite aesthetic proposal. But beyond the simple geometry and the structures of his artwork, this artist conveys a deep feeling of peace and stillness that feeds from the Zen-Shui philosophy and projects towards the viewer. Also, the superposition of layers and subtle changes of colour remind us of natural elements of the landscape, the flow of water, the petals of flowers, or the plumage of birds.

Pierre Louis Geldenhuys

Messier 81 Galaxy, 2018

Teselación, seda salvaje y caja de luz (rosa) (obra enmarcada)

80 x 80cm

Pierre Louis Geldenhuys

Triangulum Galaxy, 2018

Teselación, seda salvaje y caja de luz (blanco) (obra enmarcada)

80 x 80cm

Pierre Louis Geldenhuys

Hidroponic life cycle I, 2018

Teselación, seda tornasolada y caja de luz (obra enmarcada)

110 x 110cm

In the use of materials in a more manual way the career of Pierre Louis Geldenhuys highlights. This artist makes of fabrics his centre of work, creating geometric patterns that gain depth when displayed on light boxes. The backlighting of these compositions enhances the colour of the silks, defines the shadow spaces, the lines of the drawing and the textures of the material. The work of Geldenhuys has much in common with Origami. With a delicate design work, the fabrics surrender to the artist's master hand, which distributes folds to generate new shapes without the need for threads or seams. In the same way, this ancient oriental technique constructs figures from paper, creates volumes, contours with a work very similar to that of this artist. His monochrome pieces transmit a smooth balance and serenity, with patterns that, from the geometry, remind us of the plants in bloom, the bristling surface of the sea, the swirls of wind and the edges of the precious stones.

ART MADRID '26: 21 YEARS OF CONTEMPORARY ART

In 2026, Art Madrid will celebrate its 21st edition, further consolidating its position as a leading contemporary art fair in Spain. From 4 to 8 March, the fair will bring together thirty-five national and international galleries at the Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles. Returning to its date during Madrid Art Week, Art Madrid reaffirms its pioneering role by expanding the fair calendar and offering an open and enriching dialogue in which diverse artistic proposals coexist.

Throughout its history, Art Madrid has established itself as a leading presence in the contemporary art scene. It is renowned for its commitment to promoting both emerging and established galleries, and for its dedication to making contemporary art accessible to a diverse range of audiences.

Far from being a fair curated under a single curatorial line, Art Madrid promotes diversity in its offering, respecting the identity of each exhibitor and promoting a plural creative ecosystem that reflects the richness and differences of the current art scene.

Art Madrid '25. Photo by Lucas Amillano

GALLERY PROGRAM: AN ACTIVE MAP OF CONTEMPORARY CREATION

The Gallery Program is at the heart of Art Madrid’26. For this edition, thirty-five national and international galleries will participate in a space that celebrates experimentation, hybrid languages, and the latest artistic production. The selection of proposals constitutes a representative mosaic of the aesthetics, discourses, and contemporary practices that are shaping the present of art in Europe.

The Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles will once again be transformed into a dynamic space where the exhibitions interact with each other, inviting the public to explore visual narratives that show the evolution of contemporary languages. Works that experiment with new media, formal investigations that reformulate traditional techniques, pieces that reflect on the links between technology and humanity, and poetic approaches that explore territory, identity, or memory make up a plural, stimulating journey open to multiple interpretations.

Art Madrid also continues to strive to become a platform for discovery, allowing both professionals and visitors to identify new voices and consolidate relationships with artists who are already emerging as leaders within the contemporary cultural landscape.

Art Madrid '25. Photo by Lucas Amillano

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITORS

Thirty-five galleries are participating in this edition, twenty-seven of which are returning after finding the fair to be a favourable environment in which to strengthen connections, increase visibility and promote their artists' work on an international scene.

Twenty-six of these are Spanish galleries from various regions of the country: 3 Punts Gallery (Barcelona), Alba Cabrera Gallery (Valencia), Aurora Vigil-Escalera (Gijón), CLC ARTE (Valencia), DDR Art Gallery (Madrid), Est_ArtSpace (Madrid), g • gallery (Barcelona), Galería Arancha Osoro (Oviedo), Galería BAT alberto cornejo (Madrid), Galería Beatriz Pereira (Plasencia), Galería Carmen Terreros (Zaragoza), Galería Espiral (Noja), Galería La Mercería (Valencia), Galería Luisa Pita (Santiago de Compostela), Galería María Aguilar (Cadiz), Metro Gallery (Santiago de Compostela), Rodrigo Juarranz Gallery (Aranda de Duero), Sigüenza Gallery (Sigüenza), Gerhardt Braun Gallery (Palma de Mallorca | Madrid), Inéditad Gallery (Barcelona), Kur Art Gallery (San Sebastián), LAVIO (Murcia | Shanghai), Moret Art (A Coruña), Pigment Gallery (Barcelona), Shiras Galería (Valencia) and Uxval Gochez Gallery (Barcelona). This selection of galleries highlights the importance of the Spanish scene and its contribution to the development of the contemporary cultural ecosystem.

Art Madrid '25. Photo by Lucas Amillano

The nine international galleries participating in this edition are: Banditrazos Gallery (Seoul, South Korea), Collage Habana (Havana, Cuba), Galeria São Mamede (Lisbon, Portugal), Galerie ONE (Paris, France), KANT Gallery (Copenhagen, Denmark | Palma de Mallorca, Spain), Loo & Lou Gallery (Paris, France), Nuno Sacramento Arte Contemporânea (Ílhavo, Portugal), Trema Arte Contemporânea (Lisbon, Portugal) and Yiri Arts (Taipei, Taiwan). Their participation broadens the fair's international reach, promoting creative and conceptual exchange between diverse artistic perspectives.

In addition, eight new galleries have been added to the list of exhibitors:

Banditrazos Gallery (Seoul, South Korea), Est_ArtSpace (Madrid, Spain), g • gallery (Barcelona, Spain), Galería Beatriz Pereira (Plasencia, Spain), Galerie ONE (Paris, France), Galería Sigüenza (Sigüenza, Spain), Gerhardt Braun Gallery (Palma de Mallorca | Madrid, Spain) and KANT Gallery (Copenhagen, Denmark | Palma de Mallorca). These additions reinforce Art Madrid's commitment to continuous renewal and openness to spaces that are exploring new approaches to contemporary art.

Art Madrid '25. Photo by Lucas Amillano

PARALLEL PROGRAM: A REFLECTION ON THE ‘SPECIES’ OF SPACES

One of the great attractions of Art Madrid is its Parallel Program, which this time delves into the notions of: ‘Fragments, relationships, and imaginary distances.’ This approach turns the fair into an expanded space, where art, audience, architecture, and memory converge. Thus, the Parallel Program proposes a critical approach to the container of the event itself. Taking as a reference the reading of Species of Spaces by Georges Perec (Perec, Georges. Species of Spaces. Montesinos, 2004), it adopts a marked interest in the everyday, that which usually goes unnoticed, the infra-ordinary, giving each corner of the venue its own narrative value.

Another of the conceptual references of this edition is based on an analysis of Édouard Glissant's Poetics of Relation (Glissant, Édouard. Poetics of Relation; Prologue by Manuel Rebón. - 1st ed. - Bernal: Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, 2017.), which advocates the coexistence of differences and the importance of non-totalizing links, which are extrapolated to the art system, proposing an understanding of it as a network of exchanges and connections that respect the uniqueness of each cultural practice and actor.

‘Imaginary distances,’ understood as subjective journeys and affective cartographies traced by visitors, thus become the conceptual axis that articulates this program. This perspective transforms the Fair into an experience that goes beyond visual contemplation, turning it into a territory that can be collectively reconstructed, without losing sight of the paths travelled by the individuality of each voice.

In this edition, the Parallel Program encourages visitors to engage with the space and its projects, turning contemplation into an opportunity to question and interact with things that might otherwise go unnoticed in everyday life.

Art Madrid '25. Photo by Lucas Amillano

In the preview and during Art Week, Art Madrid'26 offers a range of experiences that allow the public to get closer to the creative process and practices of the participating artists. Among the returning initiatives are the Interview Program, Curated Walkthroughs, the third edition of Open Booth, dedicated to emerging creation, the presentation of Espacio Nebrija, a university project in collaboration with Nebrija University, alongside the fair’s established Performance Cycle.

In addition, the One Shot Collectors Program and the second edition of the Patronage Program are back. These initiatives seek to strengthen the bond between collectors, artists, and the public, promoting ethical, informed, and responsible practices in collecting and patronage.

Art Madrid '25. Photo by Lucas Amillano

Art Madrid'26 has established itself as a dynamic meeting place, where diverse experiences, discourses, and practices converge. Far from being a fair curated under a single curatorial line, Art Madrid promotes diversity as a structuring principle, respecting the identity of each exhibitor and fostering a plural creative ecosystem. This plurality is not merely formal, but translates into a network of practices, languages, and perspectives that reflects the complexity, richness, and tensions of the contemporary art scene, consolidating the fair as a catalyst for cultural relations, an observatory of emerging trends, and an international reference point for the Spanish art scene.