The day has arrived, today we celebrate the inauguration of Art Madrid'19! Almost a thousand works of art, hundreds of artists and galleries are awaiting you in the Crystal Gallery of the Palacio de Cibeles from Wednesday, February 27 until Sunday, March 3. And to welcome you in a very special way, we reveal one of the surprises that you will find at the entrance to the fair: An impressive audiovisual installation by Rubén Martín de Lucas is welcoming you to the 14th edition of Art Madrid!

Rubén Martín de Lucas, "República #14" image, 2019.

Today, Wednesday 27, we inaugurate the new edition of Art Madrid, an edition that highlights the growing international participation and the firm commitment with young creators and the most contemporary works. Gallerists, artists, cultural agents, personalities from multiple areas, special guests and visitors will accompany us in an event where you can discover a spectacular display of contemporary art. In addition, after 1 PM attendees can enjoy a cocktail and talk directly with many of the protagonists of this edition.

Rubén Martín de Lucas, "República #13" image, 2019.

In Art Madrid'19 the surprises could not have been left out, and although sharing with all of you one of the great novelties of this year has been difficult, now we can tell you about the outstanding work that is welcoming you to the fair. Thanks to the collaboration with Sono, we have created a large video installation in which the new works by Rubén Martín de Lucas will be exhibited.

The Guest Artist of this edition is a multidisciplinary creator who, after his step as co-founder of the Boa Mistura collective, he has successfully continued his solo career since 2015. Since then, his main line of work has been the relationship between the individual and the territory. Martín de Lucas features new works from the “Repúblicas Mínimas” series, within the acclaimed “Stupid Borders” project: an exciting work to reflect on the geopolitical borders and the sense of ownership under a look both critical and poetic. Art Madrid presents this series in a new and outstanding media installation in which twelve of the "republics" of Martin de Lucas can be watched simultaneously, an outstanding piece that also connects directly with the main theme of the Activities Program of this year, video art.

Rubén Martín de Lucas, "República #12" image, 2019.

“Repúblicas Mínimas’” works are performative actions with which the artist intervenes the landscape symbolically. The process is simple: he appropriates 100m2, draws an elementary form in the chosen territory and lives in that new space for 24 hours. Precisely the last three editions of this work are those the artist made exclusively for Art Madrid, three unpublished works that will be discovered in the entry installation. This kind of action art always carefully conserves documentary material, video art pieces and photographs that become "poetic gestures, endowed with a mordant irony", as the creator explains.

The video installation that you will be able to enjoy at the entrance of Art Madrid, formed by 12 screens, has been made with the collaboration of Sono, a leading brand in audiovisual engineering and systems integration. With 45 years of experience, since 1972 this pioneering brand creates communication experiences based on audiovisual technology, both nationally and internationally. Thousands of installations, projects and events during these years evidence their success in a high level of competitiveness and always growing sector.

The Sono team specializes in the professional integration of audiovisual technology, and offers a variety of services that range from the ephemeral installation, in fairs, congresses or stages; also the fixed installation, in museums, stadiums, television sets or other types of corporate spaces; to content production. In this last aspect, it is worth highlighting the creation of interactive materials, such as 360º projections, augmented reality, 3D, virtual image and holograms, video mapping or the most advanced Kinect technology. These are precisely technologies that are beginning to have a more prominent presence in art circuits that are betting on new media, and more and more artists are investigating with the possibilities of these tools and expressing themselves through these languages.

With a wide range of equipment and multimedia systems to meet any need, Sono has made facilities for foreign institutions as prominent as the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, where its intervention in the Spanish Pavilion was highlighted, the Etihad Museum in Dubai or the Olympic Museum of Qatar; as well as on a national level they have developed projects for Fitur, the Maritime Museum of Barcelona, the “Recinto Modernista de Sant Pau”, the concerts held at the Sagrada Familia, the Madrid Roca Gallery or the Primavera Sound, among others.

Possibly, audiovisual art is one of those types of creation that more clearly requires some time on the spectator’ part, and for that reason, this "Repúblicas Mínimas" installation by Martín de Lucas can really be appreciated and enjoyed at the fair. Welcome to the new edition of Art Madrid!

ART MADRID CLOSES ITS 21ST EDITION AS A KEY EVENT OF MADRID ART WEEK

The Galería de Cristal of the Palacio de Cibeles hosted the 21st edition of Art Madrid from March 4 to 8, once again consolidating its role as one of the must-see events of Madrid Art Week. Over the course of five days, the fair brought together 35 national and international galleries and more than 200 artists, turning the venue into a meeting point for gallerists, collectors, professionals, and lovers of contemporary art.

Throughout its trajectory, Art Madrid has built a distinct identity, with a constant focus on giving visibility to both emerging and established galleries and on opening contemporary art to diverse audiences. Rather than being structured around a single curatorial line, the fair embraced a plural proposal, respecting the unique DNA of each exhibitor.

Art Madrid’26 presented a Gallery Program distinguished by the diversity of artistic proposals and languages, encouraging dialogue between different generations and contemporary practices. Painting, sculpture, photography, drawing, installation, and new hybrid forms coexisted in an edition that once again confirmed the dynamism of today’s art scene

During the days of the fair, nearly 20,000 visitors explored the booths of the participating galleries and enjoyed a parallel program that expanded the experience beyond the traditional exhibition format.

The Parallel Program: An Expanded Art Fair

The Parallel Program once again took center stage in the Art Madrid experience, activating the fair space through projects that explored new forms of interaction between artworks, artists, and the public.

Among the most notable initiatives was the performance series Open Infinite: What the Body Remembers, which presented a daily performative action at the fair featuring works by Colectivo La Burra Negra, Rocío Valdivieso, Amanda Gatti, and Jimena Tercero. The pieces incorporated the body as a critical device and a space of memory, reinforcing the presence of performance within Art Madrid’s programming.

The third edition of Open Booth presented Despiece. Protocolo de mutación, by Daniel Barrio, a site-specific project that transformed the booth into a landscape constructed from urban remnants and industrial materials. The installation invited visitors to physically engage with the work, creating an immersive experience within the exhibition space.

Meanwhile, Espacio Nebrija hosted the project Estancias transitorias (NotanIA SipedagogIE), a proposal by Nebrija University that reflected on Aesthetic Intelligence in the face of the growing dominance of algorithmic logic. The installation proposed a reclamation of gesture, materiality, and the time inherent to the creative process as dimensions that cannot be reduced to automation.

Lecturas. Curated Walkthroughs also returned, with itineraries designed by Zuriñe Lafón and Marisol Salanova that offered curatorial insights for exploring the fair from specific critical perspectives and expanding the visitor experience.

Patronage, Awards, and Acquisitions

Support for contemporary creation once again stood as one of the fair’s central pillars through the second edition of the Art Madrid Patronage Program, which recognizes the work of artists and strengthens the connections between galleries, collectors, and private entities.

On this occasion, the following awards were presented:

Cervezas Alhambra Emerging Artist Award Iyán Castaño, represented by Galería Arancha Osoro

One Shot Hotels Breakthrough Artist Award Joost Vandebrug, represented by KANT Gallery

In the Acquisition Awards category, several private collections incorporated works presented at the fair into their collections.

Studiolo Collection Roger Sanguino — DDR Art Gallery

Devesa Law Kim Han Ki — Banditrazos Gallery

E2IN2 Collection Albert Bonet — Inéditad Gallery

dn2 Collection Iván Baizán — Galería Arancha Osoro

These acquisitions reflect the private sector’s commitment to the development of contemporary art and contribute to advancing the professional trajectories of emerging and mid-career artists.

Collecting and Support for the Artistic Ecosystem

The promotion of collecting once again played a prominent role in this edition thanks to the One Shot Collectors program, which offered personalized advice to both new buyers and more experienced collectors, facilitating access to the contemporary art market and fostering direct relationships between artists, galleries, buyers, and collectors.

This program, together with the Patronage Program, continues to strengthen the professional ecosystem surrounding the fair and reinforce Art Madrid’s commitment to supporting contemporary creation.

Among the most notable sales were works by Antonio Ovejero, represented by CLC ARTE; Leticia Feduchi and Ángela Mena, represented by Galería Sigüenza; Idoia Cuesta and Iyán Castaño, represented by Galería Arancha Osoro; and Yasiel Elizagaray, represented by Nuno Sacramento Arte Contemporânea. Likewise, the proposals presented by Inéditad Gallery were very well received, with notable sales of works by artists Albert Bonet and Eduardo Urdiales, as well as Carmen Mansilla, who debuted at Art Madrid'26 and achieved a sold out.

The overall balance of the edition has been particularly positive, with sales reported by all 35 participating galleries, confirming the strong interest from collectors and the dynamism of the market throughout the fair. Among the galleries that recorded notable commercial activity are La Mercería (Valencia), LAVIO (Murcia–Shanghai), 3 Punts Galería (Barcelona), Galerie One (Paris), Shiras Galería (Valencia), Galería Rodrigo Juarranz (Aranda de Duero), Galería São Mamede (Lisbon), Yiri Arts (Taiwan), and Trema Arte Contemporânea (Lisbon), among others.

A Fair made possible thanks to Its network of Partners

The success of Art Madrid’26 has been made possible thanks to the support of its official sponsors: Cervezas Alhambra, One Shot Hotels, Liquitex, Universidad Nebrija, and Posca, as well as the trust of its collaborators: Asociación 9915, Colección Studiolo, E2IN2, Colección dn2, Devesa Law, Enviarte, Cova 13, and Vanille Bakery Lab & Café. The fair also benefits from the involvement of its media partners and the support of various cultural organizations, private collections, and institutions that contribute to strengthening the contemporary art ecosystem.

Art Madrid: A Future Full of Possibilities

After 21 years of history, Art Madrid continues to consolidate its position as a key event in the contemporary art calendar, both nationally and internationally. Its ability to bring together galleries, artists, collectors, and institutions reinforces its role as a space for encounter, exchange, and discovery. The fair maintains a steadily growing outlook, driven by a program that evolves each year and increasingly opens up to more innovative proposals.

Thank you for being part of the 21st edition of Art Madrid. Your support is essential for continuing to promote art and culture.