Art Madrid'24 – WE LET OURSELVES GET SURPRISED BY CHEMA MADOZ

Navigating counter-current has never been easy. It puts us in a situation of tension that forces us to try our best. However, this is how elite swimmers train in swimming pools adapted to generate a torrent of water that athletes must fight with stubborn efforts and determination. As remote as the comparison may seem, this is also the path that some authors choose to find their creative identity and create their own style that identifies themselves and with which they feel fulfilled. Fighting against the trend is usually the usual tonic in these cases, because breaking the mould means being exposed to criticism of those who still do not understand the birth of a new era, a paradigm shift.

ChemaMadoz, “Sin título”, 1999, © VEGAP2019

To some extent, this is the story of Chema Madoz. Loaded with his camera since childhood, at age 20 he decided to devote himself completely to this discipline and delve into unexplored terrain, compared to the already established canons of great photographers. In his first exits, he hoped that the street would spontaneously offer him the images he repeatedly sought in his mind. Chance, however, was more withdrawn and arbitrary than his ambition intended. Thus, in a progressive way, he was able to accommodate the study composition, leaving aside the chance and discovery, so predicated of naturalistic photography, to shape his own ideas and dream images.

ChemaMadoz, “Sin título”, 2000, © VEGAP2019

Nevertheless, Madoz is indebted to natural inspiration. Not too aware of this, at the conclusion of a series or a project, he noted the almost permanent presence of natural motives in his work. These games of the imagination and the mind are presented as double visual senses, a trick of the photographic language where not only the quality of the composition is decisive, but the role also played by the viewer's mind, open to fill in the information gaps and the contradictions of the image with their own ideas. A sway of referents that feeds on elements of our environment, which takes advantage of the textures, the contours, exploits the ambivalent forms, the polysemic uses of the objects that become protagonists of his pieces.

ChemaMadoz, “Sin título”, 2004, © VEGAP2019

It is precisely around nature that we can enjoy today an exhibition that brings together some of the author's most emblematic works made between 1982 and 2018, and that will be open to the public until the 1st March at the Villanueva Pavilion of the Royal Botanic Garden. As the curator of the exhibition, Oliva María Rubio, explains, the exhibition “melts the vegetable, animal and mineral realms, giving rise to a kingdom of its own in which he transforms leaves, branches, clouds, woods, plants, flowers and stones offering the more unexpected combinations." A photographic path that always demonstrates the ability to be surprised at life.

 

If you are a contemporary art gallery and would like to be part of Art Madrid'25, you can now apply to participate!

The 20th edition of Art Madrid will take place from 5 to 9 March 2025 in the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles. This privileged location, good communications and the quality of the project have always been guarantees of success for an event that reaches 20,000 visitors in each edition.

Art Madrid has been held during the capital's Art Week for the last twenty years, consolidating itself as an interdisciplinary fair of new artistic trends, in which nearly 40 national and international galleries participate, working with painting, sculpture, graphics, photography, installation and digital art of recent production.

Partial view of Art Madrid'24. Contemporary Art Fair. 19th edition, 2024

Art Madrid carries out a series of programs designed by curators, consultants and cultural experts with the fundamental objective of encouraging collecting, promoting cultural dialogue and making the most recent trends in art accessible to the general public. These initiatives are always focused on the constant improvement of the visitor's experience at our event, always seeking to enrich their interaction with contemporary art.

Partial view of Art Madrid'24. Contemporary Art Fair. 19th edition, 2024

PROGRAMS

Gallery Program

Art Madrid's Gallery Program is the heart of the fair. In each edition of Art Madrid, the program consists of around 40 national and international exhibitors.

Parallel Activities Program

The Parallel Program of Art Madrid'25 will have as its main axis the concept of the Territory City. The public space, the city and the territory will serve as a link to the artistic practices that take place in the "imagined spaces" and revitalize the cultural geography of Madrid.

Collecting Program

Art Madrid offers a specialized consulting service for galleries and the public interested in acquiring works of art.

Support Program for New Entries

Through a specific communication package, new entries to the fair will be presented and given special visibility.

Activities

The program will include a series of activities that will take place throughout the month of February and during Madrid Art Week at the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles. Likewise, the parallel program will maintain the 2nd edition of the Open Booth, the Performance Cycle, Lecturas: Curated Walktrhoughs by Art Madrid, and the Interviews Section curated by Art Madrid.

Partial view of Art Madrid'24. Contemporary Art Fair. 19th edition, 2024

AWARDS

Best Booth Award

Award that will be articulated around the gallery with the best booth set up at the fair.

New Entry Award

Award will be given to the newly incorporated gallery with the best booth setup and exhibition proposal at the fair.

Emerging Artist Award

Our sponsors, as part of their line of action to promote contemporary art, will offer a prize to one of the revelation artists participating in the fair.

Partial view of Art Madrid'24. Contemporary Art Fair. 19th edition, 2024

Our support for art and culture extends throughout the year and responds to a global vision in which constancy and commitment to the galleries are essential to achieve our objectives of disseminating contemporary art within and beyond our borders; to create new audiences and interest in art and culture in all sectors of society; to strengthen and promote artists, especially young talent; to value art and culture as essential elements of social development; and to create spaces for cultural visibility and communication that are accessible, open and dynamic.



Relevant information

Applications for the 20th edition of Art Madrid'25 can be sent to the following e-mail address: info@art-madrid.com until October 7, 2024