Art Madrid, which will be held from February 23 to 27 at the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles, has selected 5 works that will be donated to the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (MMAC), which depends on the Madrid City Council. The selected pieces are: 'Isabel II' by Kepa Garraza; 'Humo VI' by Isabel Alonso Vega; 'Palacio de Cristal' and 'Madrid, Gran Vía, 2018' by Leticia Felgueroso; and 'Flexia 9' by Toño Barreiro. The four Spanish artists have an already consolidated career within the contemporary art scene in our country and with an important international projection. The works are currently on display at the fair and once it is over, this Sunday, February 27, they will be moved to the museum so that they can be admired by all visitors.

Kepa Garraza

Isabel II, 2021

Carbón comprimido sobre papel

100 x 75cm

Las piezas elegidas son:

"Isabel II' by Kepa Garraza made in compressed charcoal on paper in 2021. The works of Kepa Garraza (Berango, Vizcaya, 1979) reflect on the nature of the images we consume every day. Through fictitious scenarios where a parallel reality is recreated, he invites the viewer to question issues related to identity and the manipulation of information. His work questions official discourses, and questions the processes of institutional legitimization. His ironic and acid look offers alternatives to the reality we know and proposes a healthy exercise: to always doubt the official version. This piece can be seen at Victor Lope Contemporary Art Gallery.

Isabel Alonso Vega

Humo VI, 2018

Fumes and methacrylate

50 x 50cm

'Humo VI', exhibited at Hispánica Contemporánea gallery, is Isabel Alonso Vega's sculpture created with smoke and methacrylate in 2018. The works of Isabel Alonso (Madrid, 1968) speak of the intangible, of that which is there but can hardly be seen, it is almost impossible to touch, let alone catch. The intangible becomes present and presents itself enclosed, but not immobile, since the forms have their own life and change according to the lighting and the perspective from where you look at them.

Leticia Felgueroso

Madrid, Gran Vía 2018, 2018

Fotografía y gelatina de plata sobre papel RC

150 x 205cm

The photographs 'Palacio de Cristal' and 'Madrid, Gran Vía 2018', exhibited at the BAT Alberto Cornejo gallery, are two of the pieces that will be donated belonging to Leticia Felgueroso. The works of Felgueroso (Madrid, 1963) are based on urban scenes of an attractive chromatism that make us imagine a different city. Her photographs can be found in numerous Spanish embassies around the world and she has been commissioned by entities such as Ifema or the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum.

Toño Barreiro

Flexia 9, 2018

Esmalte sobre aluminio

65 x 65cm

'Flexia 9' by Toño Barreiro, made in enamel on aluminum in 2018, is another of the pieces that will be incorporated into the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art and can be seen at Shiras Galería. Toño Barreiro (Zamora, 1965) has been developing, since the mid-1980s, a multidisciplinary work that alternates photography, painting, sculpture and digital processes. In his work we can observe a whole series of new methodologies and creative processes that give rise to sinuous and synaesthetic paintings, playing with the concept of deconstruction, the symbiotic or the most elementary biological processes.

Aurelio San Pedro

CONVERSATIONS WITH MARISOL SALANOVA. INTERVIEW PROGRAM. ART MADRID'25

Aurelio San Pedro (Barcelona, 1983) draws with great delicacy, focusing his attention on natural settings and favoring black and white. Memory plays a crucial role in his creative process, which is based on treating recollection as a means of artistic expression. His background in engineering and topography influences his search for inspiring images, helping him select the ideal landscapes—ones that stem from both real and imagined places.

Each of his pieces follows a slow and meticulous process, requiring deep introspection. Paper is almost a fetish for him; both the areas he chooses to intervene in and those he leaves blank hold equal importance. He navigates between abstraction and figuration while maintaining a distinctive and deeply resonant style.

Return to Oneself. From the series Books and Landscapes. 2024. Mixed media. 100 x 100 cm.

What role does experimentation play in your creative process?

Experimentation is fundamental in my creative process, both conceptually and aesthetically. My work evolves in parallel with unfolding events, gradually shaping what will become the final piece. However, in terms of production, the role of experimentation depends heavily on the series I am working on at the time.

For example, in the Books series, which is created using book fragments, three-dimensionality is essential. While working on it, I encountered trial and error, residue, simplification, and the streamlining of processes.

In contrast, when it comes to drawings, physical experimentation is much less pronounced. However, there are still discoveries, searches for tools, trials, and shifts within the working process. For instance, in Landscapes, I use a pencil with three extenders that measures about fifty to sixty centimeters. In my two latest series, Iceland and Nature, I had to learn how to move and position myself within nature, while also refining my drawing technique significantly.

Always Stumbled Upon the Same Stone.Detail. From the series Books and Landscapes. 2024. Mixed media. 10 x 19 cm.

What are your references?

I cannot pinpoint specific aesthetic influences, but I can mention those who have left a mark on my artistic journey. First and foremost, my father, due to his connection with art and architecture. I also had the privilege of learning for a year in the studio of Antoni Marqués, a renowned Catalan artist.

Historically, the works of Magritte and Joseph Kosuth have had a profound influence on me. Formally, I find a certain connection with Arte Povera, and I identify with minimalism.

Twenty Dark Episodes. 2024. From the series Books and Landscapes. Mixed media. 100 x 100 cm.

How do memory and recollection influence your drawings?

Much of my work, if not all, is rooted in memory. I began with the Diane series, a collection of pencil drawings based on old photographs by Diane Arbus. In these drawings, I removed the main subjects, leaving only the backgrounds. They were complemented by diptychs that included descriptions of the absent characters, the location where the photograph was taken, and the year. This approach created a dialogue between presence and absence, exploring themes of memory and recollection.

Later, I worked on Landscapes, a much more ethereal series in which I sought to represent an idealized and undefined image through personal memory. Currently, I am developing Nature and Iceland, projects that reflect on natural memory in relation to the landscape’s own form.

I am interested in posing questions such as: How did this rock end up here? How was this meandering river formed? A simple landscape holds countless traces and processes. For me, that is the essence of memory in my work.

ST.3. From the series Iceland. 2024. Pencil on paper. 120 x 100 cm.

How long does it take you to complete your works?

The time I dedicate to each piece depends mainly on its complexity and specific characteristics. Generally, I spend between two and four weeks on each piece, with an average of about three weeks. This varies, as some works require more time for reflection, adjustments, or details, while others emerge more fluidly. The diversity of the creative process is what makes the difference, each piece has its own demands and rhythms, making every artistic experience unique.

Return to Oneself. From the series Books and Landscapes. 2024. Mixed media. 100 x 100 cm.

Why do you choose to work in black and white?

I am deeply drawn to black and white for its timelessness. This visual approach not only eliminates distractions but also removes certain details that might diminish the work’s mystery, allowing the viewer to focus on the essential. The absence of color and the diffuse light I use contribute to a sense of distortion and vagueness, which, to me, enhances the enigmatic nature of the image.

By omitting volume and color, I create an atmosphere that invites interpretation, leaving room for the viewer to project their own narrative onto what they see. This quality of uncertainty and suggestion is what I find so powerful about working in black and white.

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