Intercessions. Performance Cycle X Tara For Women. Parallel Program. Art Madrid'24

INTERCESSIONS. PERFORMANCE CYCLE X TARA FOR WOMEN

In his Poetics of Space, Gaston Bachelard states: "One must be in the present, in the present of the image, in the minute of the image: if there is a philosophy of poetry, this philosophy must be born and reborn with the motif of a dominant verse, in total adherence to an isolated image, and precisely in the ecstasy of the novelty of the image”.

In our present time, a moment of homogenized images, we find a problem that is expressed in the need to listen to the voices that come from otherness. In those other places, it is still possible to find the novelty of the image and the poetry of the image that announces diversity. Everything seems known or familiar if we explore the possibilities of representing a concise idea of the present, of the moment that obliges us to act. From here, contemporary art serves as a pretext to transform society, making use of its goodness as a healing instrument and giving voice to those who turn their vocation into dominant verse, to break into the scenario in which everything happens and takes place, thus making them part of what is happening.

Are we capable of putting ourselves in the place of the other? Do we use our privileged place to intercede for others? How often do we drop our "I" to support the " We"? What does it mean to work for the common good?

All these questions are answered in the exercise of intercession. How people intercede for one another in order to change the course of events, how intercession has the purpose of finding a solution for the improvement of our fellows, how the work and the commitment of those for whom we intercede are brought into a common place.

Thus was born Intercessions, a Performance Cycle X Tara For Women, part of the Parallel Program of Art Madrid'24, featuring artists Estel Boada (Mataró, Barcelona, 1991), Teresa Búa (Muxía, A Coruña, 1991), Sara Domínguez (Málaga, 1993) and Mónica Egido (Salamanca, 1994). The main purpose of the cycle is to bet on projects that reflect our times. The performance in its multiple dramaturgical expressions, especially those that use the body as a vehicle to deconstruct and observe from a critical perspective, the relationship of human beings with their natural environment, are conducive to relate the truth of our time.

Mónica Egido. Still from the FOMO Project. 2024.

Like hands to the body, eyes to the soul, earth to life, and art to society, the powerful metaphor that represents the exercise of interceding for the other turns the stage of the fair into a device capable of activating and communicating the concerns of the invited artists and extending them to the public in a gesture of empathy..

The treatment of human relations makes the carnal habitat a reservoir of affection for the surrounding reality. To intercede for others, to propitiate an intercession with the objective of achieving a benefit for an entity or subject that dynamizes our action, is the leitmotif of this performance cycle, which appropriates one of the most important artistic moments of the year and transforms it into a catapult of projection for the four participating artists.

Estel Boada. Performance of Pfff Historia d'una Fitball. Documentation. 2024.

Intercessions proposes a sharp look at the symbolic relationship between human beings and their context, turning the body into a reservoir of affections that enables intercession and the act of interceding for other entities or subjects. In essence, this initiative seeks to promote reflections that transcend the surface of everyday experience, challenging prejudices and entering into the construction of an artistic legacy forged from experience stripped of conventionalisms.

The selection of artists responds to the need to highlight the relevance of works that, through performance, have a strong impact on the collective conscience regarding the challenges and dangers that threaten our society and the way we relate to others. The human body, considered as a motor and a link with the artistic and natural essence, becomes the epicenter of the conceptual exploration proposed by this program, transcending the ordinary to unravel the complexities of the intercession between the individual and his environment.

During the days of the fair, Intercessions will transform the exhibition space into an activating device powerfully communicating the urgency with which humanity must approach the construction of its future legacy. Just as the hands are to the body, the eyes to the soul, and the earth to life, this cycle of performances affirms that art, in its maximum expression, intercedes for us, and represents the fundamental notion that will guide the participants in their search for the transcendence and meaning of their works. Intercessions is thus established as a manifesto of performance, a critical and transformative instrument forging a provocative and necessary dialogue in the context of Art Madrid'24.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Mónica Egido (Salamanca, 1994) is a visual artist with a background in physiotherapy and specialization in neuroscience of chronic pain and obstetrics. She has excelled in the field of photography, being selected for Futures Photography 2023 and awarded a grant by PhotoEspaña. Her work, exhibited in various spaces in Europe, addresses different issues of neuroscience in relation to health, using art as a mechanism for dissemination, as in her latest project FOMO, where she talks about the impact of permanent anxiety on physical and mental health. Her piece Vacío reflects on the feeling of dissatisfaction and unhappiness that many people of the millennial generation suffer from.

Mónica Egido. Guest artist of Intercessions. Performance Cycle X Tara For Women.

Mónica Egido presents at Art Madrid'24 her performance: VACÍO. From the series FOMO

Vacío is a reflection of the sense of dissatisfaction and constant unhappiness that many people belonging to the millennial generation suffer from.

Mónica Egido. Still from Vacío. FOMO Project. 2024.

Sara Gema Domínguez (Malaga, 1993) is an artist with a background in Fine Arts and a MA in Interdisciplinary Artistic Production and Research. She specializes in action art, exploring the relationship between art and life. The performance Bingo de Artista satirizes and criticizes the processes of artistic professionalization, inviting the public to participate as potential creators in a game that questions chance and artistic recognition.

Sara Gema Domínguez. Guest artist of Intercessions. Performance Cycle X Tara For Women.

Sara Gema Domínguez presents at Art Madrid'24 her performance: BINGO DE ARTISTA

Chance is a constant in our lives, and the context in which an artist is born or develops is essential to determine their position in the market or mere recognition.

Sara Gema Domínguez. Bingo de artista. Documentation. 2024.

Teresa Búa (Muxía, A Coruña, 1991) combines fine arts, fashion design and craftsmanship in her artistic projects. Her work, represented in national and international exhibitions, focuses on self-knowledge, Galician cultural heritage and digital fashion.

Teresa Búa. Guest artist of Intercessions. Performance Cycle X Tara For Women.

Teresa Búa presents at Art Madrid'24 her performance: MATERNIDAD 4. AMAMANTAR

This work invites us to witness the beauty of maternal experience as a source of creativity in the intercession of life and production as interconnected forces in human experience.

Teresa Búa. Maternidad 4. Amamantar. Documentation. 2024.

Estel Boada (Mataró, Barcelona, 1991) is a multifaceted artist who addresses past, present and future issues in an ironic and burlesque way. With a background in Fine Arts, her work includes design, drawing, performance, among others…

Estel Boada. Guest artist of Intercessions. Performance Cycle X Tara For Women.

Estel Boada presents at Art Madrid'24 her performance: STAND, BY ME

Stand, by Me is a performance that wants to address the responsibility and the position of an art fair stand from an ironic and burlesque point of view.

Estel Boada. Stand, By Me. Documentation. 2024.

PERFORMANCES

Wednesday, 6 March / 19:00 h - Mónica Egido - VACÍO

Thursday, 7 March / 19:00 h - Sara Gema Domínguez - BINGO DE ARTISTA

Friday, 8 March / 17:00 h - Teresa Búa - MATERNIDAD 4. AMAMANTAR

Saturday, 9 March / 19:00 h - Estel Boada - STAND, BY ME

The performance cycle Intercessions. X Tara For Women is supported by the Foundation, whose mission is to empower talented women around the world to promote sustainable economic and social development. Its vision is to build a global community without borders, where talented women find the necessary empowerment and access to the essential tools to achieve success in their endeavors and artistic expressions. True to its values, it joins Art Madrid in this edition to contribute to the much-needed work of representing the talent of women artists in the national contemporary art exhibition circuit.

ART MADRID'25: TWENTIETH BIRTHDAY

The rain did not prevent the twentieth anniversary of Art Madrid from being celebrated in style at the Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles. From the 5th to the 9th of March, the headquarters of the fair opened its doors to artists, galleries, collectors, art lovers and professionals of the sector to welcome us in an edition marked by a greater presence of women artists, more than 50% of debut artists, the presence of 34 galleries and around 1100 works produced between 2022 and 2025.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

Art Madrid'25 opened its doors with a gallery program that included 34 exhibitors, 22 national, 12 international and 7 for the first time at the fair. More than 200 artists exhibited their most recent works, representing the latest artistic trends on the national and international scene. Painting with a relevant presence in all its forms of expression and representation; sculpture, photography, drawing, video and installation.

During these five days, Art Madrid'25 welcomed around 20,000 visitors, including collectors, professionals, the general public and new buyers.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

The celebration of this edition was accompanied by a parallel program focusing on the conceptual axis: Territorio Ciudad. In the run-up to the fair, from 28 February to 2 March, the following projects took place in the city of Madrid: Arquitecturas Imaginadas, Dialoga Ciudad and the second edition of La Quedada: Arquitecturas Imaginadas, Dialoga Ciudad and the second edition of La Quedada, a tour of studios and spaces for artistic creation. Arquitecturas Imaginadas transformed the metro into an ephemeral art gallery; Dialoga Ciudad filled the streets with poetry, establishing a direct dialogue with passers-by; while La Quedada opened the doors of artists' studios, allowing visitors to get a closer look at their creative processes. The week of the fair was also preceded by the Interview programme: Conversations with Marisol Salanova.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

After the opening of the fair, the programme continued with innovative proposals such as Open Booth, a space created in collaboration with the University of Nebrija and Liquitex, which invited students from the university's Fine Arts department to present their work in a professional context. Similarly, the Raíces Afuera** cycle explored concepts of identity and belonging through performances that proposed different points of view and an extended reflection on rootedness and mobility in contemporary society.

Art in motion also played a prominent role in this edition, thanks to Cartografías de la Percepción, a video art programme curated by PROYECTOR that analysed the relationship between inhabitants and their urban environment through immersive audiovisual works. There was also 20 Grados**, developed at Espacio Tectónica, where ten artists used augmented reality, sound and performance to explore the interaction between architecture and its inhabitants.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

One of the most innovative proposals in the edition was Ciudad Sutil by Susi Vetter, which transformed Montalbán Street into an interactive digital installation. This initiative transformed the public space and raised new questions about the relationship between people and their environment, inviting viewers to reflect on their impact on the urban landscape.

Around 30 artists were invited to participate in the parallel program of Art Madrid'25. An initiative that the fair's organisers intend to continue in future editions, with the aim of incorporating into the event other ways of supporting creation and encouraging dialogue between artists, the public and professionals in the sector, thus enriching the cultural experience of the fair.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

PATRONAGE, PRIZES AND RESIDENCIES: PROMOTING CONTEMPORARY CREATION

One of the fundamental pillars of Art Madrid is its commitment to promoting art and supporting creators. Through its Patronage Program, the fair has consolidated its role as a platform for the promotion of emerging talent and the consolidation of artists in the market.

The Acquisition Award has enabled selected works to enter important private collections. This year, the Studiolo Collection, E2IN2 Collection and Devesa Law have chosen the works of Armando de la Garza (Acquisition Award. Studiolo Collection), represented by DDR Art Gallery; Fernando Suárez Reguera (Acquisition Award. E2IN2 Collection), represented by the Luisa Pita Gallery, and Moisés Yagües (Acquisition Award. Devesa Law), represented by the Aurora Vigil-Escalera Gallery; an initiative that ensures the dissemination and preservation of the works of the winning artists within the national collecting circuit.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

For its part, the Emerging Artist Award, granted by One Shot Hotels as part of the One Shot Collectors program, has recognised the talent of Ana Cardoso, represented by Galería São Mamede. This recognition provides an important economic boost for the consolidation of artists in the development phase.

Finally, the Residency Award, organised in collaboration with DOM Art Residence and ExtrArtis, has been awarded to Luis Olaso, represented by Kur Art Gallery. Thanks to this award, the artist will enjoy an artistic residency in Sorrento, Italy, in August 2025, a unique opportunity for experimentation, cultural exchange and expansion of his artistic practice.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

COLLECTING: THE ART OF ACQUIRING WITH CRITERIA

With the One Shot Collectors Program, sponsored by One Shot Hotels, the fair sought to promote the acquisition of works of art through a space for specialised advice. Under the guidance of expert Ana Suárez Gisbert, participants received guidance on how to start buying art or expand their collections with knowledge and criteria. This programme has made a significant contribution to strengthening the contemporary art market and strengthening the link between artists and collectors.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

The twentieth edition of Art Madrid leaves behind sales figures that exceed those of the 2024 edition, with a total of 675 works acquired. Of these, 39 were acquired through the Art Madrid'25 Collecting Programme, led by art advisor Ana Suárez Gisbert. Ten per cent of the works exceeded the price of 20,000 euros; 15 per cent were pieces between 10,000 and 20,000 euros; 30 per cent were between 3,000 and 10,000 euros; and 45 per cent were works acquired for less than 3,000 euros. This confirms Art Madrid's role as a key event for those wishing to enter the world of collecting. In this latest edition, the fair has seen a greater influx of international visitors, as well as visitors from different regions of Spain, which confirms the growing interest of foreign collectors in adding works by Spanish artists to their collections. Once again, the galleries participating in Art Madrid have noticed an increase in the number of visitors and the interest shown by buyers, both experienced collectors and new enthusiasts who want to start collecting art.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

AN EVENT MADE POSSIBLE BY ITS NETWORK OF PARTNERS

The success of Art Madrid'25 was made possible thanks to the support of its official sponsors: Liquitex, Lexus, One Shot Hotels, Safe Creative, Universidad Nebrija and Cervezas Alhambra. Their support has been fundamental in the celebration of Art Madrid's twenty years of contemporary art.

In addition, the fair has enjoyed the collaboration of cultural platforms and institutions such as **PROJECTOR, CRU Cultural Platform, Contemporary Art Collectors Association 9915, Colección Studiolo, E2IN2, DOM Art Residence, Devesa, Enviarte, Vanille Bakery Lab & Café and Pago de Cirsus.

It has also received the support of public institutions such as the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, the Madrid City Council, the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and the Madrid Community, strengthening its presence in the cultural scene.

In the field of dissemination, the media partners are: PAC, Gráffica, Cultura Inquieta, ArtPrice, Arte al Límite, Arte por Excelencias, VEIN, Art Facts and Bonart Cultural have contributed to the global project of the event.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano,

ART MADRID: A FUTURE FULL OF POSSIBILITIES

After two decades of development, Art Madrid reaffirms itself as a dynamic, accessible and constantly evolving event. With more than 100,000 visitors in the last five editions, the fair has established itself as an essential reference in the national and international art scene.

The Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles is once again the ideal setting for this celebration of contemporary art, a meeting place for galleries, collectors and artists from all over the world. With an innovative program and an increasingly open approach, Art Madrid'25 has shown that, after twenty years, its role in the artistic ecosystem is more relevant than ever, and its future is full of possibilities and new artistic explorations.

Art Madrid'25. Photo by Lucas Amillano.

Thank you for joining us in this 20th edition of Art Madrid. Your trust and support are essential to continue promoting contemporary art and culture.

See you at Art Madrid'26!