ARQUITECTURAS IMAGINADAS. PARALLEL PROGRAM TERRITORY CITY. ART MADRID'25

Four artists have been invited to intervene in various stations of two of the busiest subway lines in Madrid, with the aim of transforming these subway spaces through different aesthetic languages. The main challenge will be to develop projects that connect in a meaningful way with travelers, turning these stations into inspiring places full of beauty.

This program highlights how art has the power to sensitize and change our perception of our surroundings. The proposal not only seeks to enrich the experience of those who use public transport, but also to promote a reflection on the importance of public space. In particular, the Madrid Metro is presented as a key space for urban mobility and social interaction, and this project aims to foster a greater appreciation for it without falling into a paternalistic approach, but through an educational proposal that invites collective reflection.

Dómix Garrido. Courtesy of the artist..

Invited Artist: Dómix Garrido

Reflection in a subway car

Location: LÍNEA 1 (recorrido entre CUATRO CAMINOS y PACÍFICO) y LÍNEA 2 (recorrido entre CUATRO CAMINOS A VENTAS)

Time: 10:00-12:00h

Reflection in a Subway Car is a proposal that delves into the realm of public introspection. It is a performative reflection spoken aloud about contemporary art, with a particular focus on events related to its exhibition, dissemination, and commercialization. In this work, the artist carries out a direct reflection on the process they experience as a creator, from the moment they receive the invitation to participate in an event to the precise instant when they present the performance.

The main objective of this proposal is to share the artist’s reflections with the people sharing the subway ride. Through this action, the internal process an artist goes through when preparing an intervention is brought to light. By not inviting the audience beforehand, the notion of a predisposed audience fades away, and the people present at that moment become ordinary citizens, involuntary spectators of an artistic event. The reactions of the public can be varied and are an integral part of the proposal, which seeks to establish communication—whether direct or indirect—with people in the surrounding environment. This displacement, which the artist has infiltrated with their intervention, has no fixed destination and leads nowhere in particular. The people traveling, absorbed in their thoughts and daily activities, are transformed into involuntary observers of a work of art.

The artist will likely enter the subway car with a recorder or mobile phone in hand. They begin a reflection or conversation aloud, possibly carrying a notebook or some object to read the text. During the performance, the artist interacts with those who show interest or ask questions. Once the intervention ends, they exit the car, carrying in their mind a series of words related to the proposal: “Art Madrid. Performance. Imagined Architectures. City Territory. Action Art. Reflections...”

This process aims not only to generate an artistic reflection in the public but also to raise a question about art itself, its relationship with public space, and the interaction between the creator and the spectator.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Dómix Garrido Abenza (Archena, Murcia, 1963) is a performer, scenic researcher, educator, and cultural manager, holding a degree in Performing Arts and specializing in Museology and Contemporary Art. Since 2004, his work as a performance artist has taken him across Spain, participating in festivals, museums, and art centers. Internationally, his work has been presented in cities in France, Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Morocco, Norway, Colombia, and the United States, among others.

In 2020, Dómix published the book "Creative Freedom in My Actions: On the Art of Performance." He is a member of 1668, a collective that has been developing artistic projects advocating for human rights since 2014, with a particular focus on migration and borders.

His work has been recognized in various biennials, including the Bronx Latin American Art Biennial (New York) and the International PERFOARTNET Art Biennials in Bogotá. He has received scholarships from the EEA Grants from the Norwegian Embassy and the Research for Art and Social Improvement Projects Grant from the CEPAIM Foundation, in addition to being selected for several international calls. He was also chosen by the Program for the Promotion of Contemporary Spanish Art and recently by the Community of Madrid for the RED ITINER exhibition “1,2... acción!” of Exchange Live Art.

Since 2009, he has directed the International Performance Festival ABIERTO DE ACCIÓN in various Spanish cities, as well as the Solo_Performance cycle at the Centro Párraga in Murcia, the Miradas de Mujeres Festival at the MURAM in Cartagena, and has coordinated public space interventions with institutions like ARTJAEN, KREÆ, and other public and private entities. Furthermore, he has taught workshops on performance and poetic action. In 2018, his project was selected as one of the “Best Valued by the Ministry of Education and Culture.”