Art Madrid'23 – THE OWN BRAND OF OUR SOLITARY GALLERIES

In this edition we have the pleasure of having galleries from different points of Spanish geography, Cantabria, Bilbao, Mallorca and Aranda de Duero were not going to be less. With a long experience in the sector, these four protagonists illustrate us with the works of their best artists.

 

 

Nacho Angulo, Map, 2016. Mixed technique on wood

 

 

The Spiral Gallery, lived its beginnings to the west of the Cantabrian community, changing its location in 2013, premiering in Noja, a small town with a view to the sea that does not leave indifferent to the landscape that surrounds it. Directed by Manuel Sáenz-Messía and Ana Laguna Vela, in its beginnings began to expose the SIANOJA Collection. With the passing of the years, his dealings with contemporary art have crossed frontiers, developing in the same way with national and international art.

 

The first and second markets were not a challenge to display their innovative languages ??and always to the latest trend. One of its strengths is the great commitment of its gallerists for visibility at national and international fairs of different cities such as Brussels, Strasbourg, Lille, Santander and of course, Madrid. The artists that are going to exhibit in this February edition are: Nacho Angulo, Joaquín Martínez Cano, Antonio Maya, Eduardo Vega Seoane and José Antonio Quintana. All of them are professionals of the sector.

 

 

Rut Olabarri, Self-portrait with table, 2016. Watercolor

 

From Cantabria we travel to Bilbao and here we are welcomed by the Vanguardia gallery. This showcase focuses its attention on the commercialization of the most current and contemporary art. Their great activity when it comes to posing samples and exhibitions makes them stand out. With an average of 6 to 7 annual exhibitions, Vanguardia bets on national and international artists. The new technologies and their commitment to parallel activities reinforce the dynamic and entrepreneurial spirit of the same.

 

The proposal presented by the gallery, with the artist Ruth Olabarri as the protagonist approaches the theme of Basque matriarchalism based on the legend of the Goddess Mari. It raises the description of the character through the objects that represent or belong to it. It also inquires into the symbolism of folklore through dress and ornamentation.

 

 

Cristina Mur, Unfurling the Wings, 2016. Acrylic and oil on linen

 

 

Entering a little more in the center of the territory, we move to Aranda de Duero (Burgos) where the gallery Rodrigo Juarranz opens its doors. This past year in 2016, the gallery turned 10 years and what better way to celebrate than in the 12th edition of Art Madrid. His best gifts have been to meet two goals of great weight, promoting and marketing contemporary art, a task not easy for the times that run. The eclecticism of its exhibitions plays with the alternation of showing artists of recognized prestige with young powers of great international repercussion.

 

All a certain when it comes to projecting such exhibitions. But, his work does not end here apart from participating in numerous national and international fairs. The gallery Rodrigo juarranz has published books and catalogs, completing them with the edition of multiple works in engraving and sculpture. For their stand at the fair they have bet by Mar Solís, Marcos Tamargo, Cristina Mur, Beatriz Díaz Ceballos and Diego Beneitez. Five personalities that will give life to the space of this gallery in Burgos.

 

 

Rubén Torras Llorca, Neo-Coliseum, 2016. Mixed technique on canvas

 

 

Leaving the peninsula aside, we flew to Majorca and landed in the Pep Llabrés gallery, a whim of the island that can be visited in the capital. With more than 25 years of experience in the sector, its gallery owner opened the doors of this new space only two years ago. From this new experience he has focused his objectives on betting on the freshest contemporary art.

 

As the main engine, we highlight the young and dynamic art that supports the most youthful values ??of the sector. The new languages ??of expression, coupled with the experience of great consecrated artists and together bet on the union of different streams that show the identity of the gallery. Robert Ferrer i Martorell and Rubén Torras Llorca, represents the perfection of the theory that wants to make known the gallery in Art Madrid 17.

 

 

 

In the year 2020 in the heart of Barcelona a wandering gallery was born, the same one that in February 2021 would debut at Art Madrid with an exhibition proposal focused on contemporary portraits; with this subject matter it would manage to create a powerful dialogue between artwork and audience and make the seal Inéditad remain in the history of the event that contained it.

Jean Carlos Puerto. Protección. Oil and copper leaf on wood. 60 x 48. 2021. Image courtesy of the gallery.

Since that first time and until today, the wandering gallery has managed to build projects on otherness, has repositioned in the spotlight the discourses on the LGTBIQ+ collective, has consolidated a group of artists who share its principles of resilience and empathy and the best thing is that it continues to bet from the professionalism and commitment to give voice to the difference.

Claudio Petit-Laurent.. El Joven de la Perla. Oil on wood. 30 x 30 cm. 2023. Image courtesy of the gallery.

Inéditad Gallery, thanks to its founder Luis López, its collaborators and the infinite possibilities manifested in the works of the artists it represents, is a gallery that has demonstrated its capacity and courage to stimulate the sensibility of the public through art and seduce a generation that moves between the glass window and the analogical story. Inéditad is a nomadic gallery that has gathered around it a community of artists and has moved the context with exhibition projects that think about LGTBIQ+ art without prejudices.

Pepa Salas Vilar. Las marcas del arcoiris. Oil on canvas. 40 x 50 cm. 2022. Image courtesy of the gallery.

Pride and Prejudice was inaugurated. An exhibition that brings together the works of sixteen artists: Abel Carrillo, Alex Domènech, Carlos Enfedaque, Silvia Flechoso, Jamalajama, Daniel Jaén, Claudio Petit-Laurent, Jean Carlos Puerto, Fernando Romero, Pablo Rodríguez, Pepa Salas Vilar, Jack Smith, Pablo Sola, Bran Sólo, Elia Tomás and Utürüo. Painting, illustration, photography and digital art are the manifestations that bring into dialogue around fifty neatly threaded pieces, in a discursive line that discusses such a latent phenomenon as discrimination. To achieve this, the artists invited to the exhibition question themselves whether: Does discrimination exist within the LGTBIQ+ collective?

Pride and Prejudice Official Poster. Image courtesy of the gallery.

With approaches on and from the body, the proposal invites to celebrate diversity, proposes to question and self-question the prejudices and attitudes of society against the collective. Pride and Prejudice is a space for dialogue about the constructs imposed on us by society. It is also an oasis in which to deconstruct with tolerance and respect the subjectivities that sometimes prevent us from approaching the production of the participating artists, simply because "the beautiful" does not fit in an androgynous body. The subjugation of stereotypes are pressed with determination to find the beauty of diversity in other palpable facets of reality.

Pablo Sola. All men are dogs. Photography. 2014. Image courtesy of the gallery.

Throughout these three years Inéditad has stimulated the vindictive projection towards bad practices, has questioned estates around the LGTBIQ+ body and the most admirable thing, is that these capacities have resurfaced around the dialogue and the visual narrative of the stories that are told from the visual: Artworks that are people, art that is, per se, humanity. Overcome impositions and accept what is different in order to continue fighting against homophobia, biphobia, lesbophobia or transphobia and defend the equal rights that all the acronyms of the collective deserve in our community.

That's Pride and Prejudice: One creature, the happiest in the world. And maybe other projects and other people have said it - or felt it - before, but none so fairly.

Silvia Flechoso. Hola, soy maricón. Oil on canvas. 73 x 54 cm. 2023. Image courtesy of the gallery.

From June 8th until June 22nd you can visit Pride and Prejudice. Carrer de Palau núm. 4. Canal Gallery space. Barcelona.