To celebrate Art Madrid's 15th anniversary, the fair organised a program of activities focused on video art, new media and action art that took place throughout the month of February. In addition, one of the keys in this edition consisted of dedicating a complete booth to accommodate part of this agenda and thus be able to share with the public the experience of enjoying video art and performance in the same space. In this program, in addition to the daily presentations of artists and live performances, one of the highlights was a curated cycle dedicated to international video art that was possible thanks to the collaboration of 13 foreign festivals that gave us the best of their selected pieces.

Mario Gutiérrez Cru, the director of the PROYECTOR video art platform, and the curator of the “Art Madrid-Proyector'20” action program, carried out an arduous task of selection and contact with these contests and exhibitions with the aim of offering a varied, enriching picture of the reality of global video creation. In this way, we have had the contribution of these 13 international festivals, which has given us a unique opportunity to enjoy video art outside the usual exhibition circuits that this discipline occupies.

In this collaboration, the participation of Latin American festivals especially stands out: BIM (Argentina), EJECT - International Festival de Videoperformance (Mexico), Kósmica (Mexico), Play - Video Art Week (Argentina), El Validadero Artístico - Tele-atemporal / curaduría latinoamericana de video experimental (Colombia) and VideoBabel (Peru). With more or less experience and seniority, these 6 festivals have brought us a selection of the best awarded works in the most recent editions, providing a global and updated vision of the interest that video art arouses in Latin America.

Frame from "Fotooxidación" (2013), by Pablo Mazzolo

The Biennial of the Moving Image (BIM) is a combination of a film festival and a contemporary art show where the central axis is experimental videos and cinematographic works. BIM combines an exhibition program with works exhibited in museums and theatres with a wide range of activities (workshops, conferences, seminars and talks with artists). It is a meeting space designed for audiovisual art lovers. The project was born from the initiative of the National University of Tres de Febrero and takes place every two years in the City of Buenos Aires.

For the curated screening of “Art Madrid-Proyector’20” we had the following artworks: "Viento Sur" (2012), by Paz Encina; "Una sombra oscilante (2018), by Celeste Rojas Múgica, "Fotooxidación" (2013), by Pablo Mazzolo; "Retrato nº 26" (2011), by Edu Loschpe; "Traspasar (2.0)" (2009), by Hernán E. Bula; "Am I?" (2012), by Florencia Aliberti; "Lumbre" (2016), by Christian Delgado & Nicolás Testoni; "Trabajos de la vida terrestre I, II y III" (2017), by Camelia Estefes; "Destellos" (2016), by Ernesto Baca; "Abecedario/B" (2014), by Los Ingrávidos; "Black Pond" (2018), by Jessica Sarah Rinland, and "Plantas trepadoras" (2014), by Julieta Averbuj.

Frame from “Taxonomía de la desmesura: diario de viaje a la isla Victoria”, by Maia Gattás Vargas

Also from Argentina, it came PLAY - VIDEOARTE, an exhibition of international scope born in 2012 that seeks to expand the borders of legitimate contemporary uses of image, sound and speech. In each edition, they carry out activities aimed to educate and promote video creation, such as production workshops, talks/meetings with and between artists, which are held in the City of Corrientes (Argentina), at the Cultural Center of the Extension University, of the National University of the Northeast (UNNE).

The selection by PLAY was a 100% Argentinian and included the pieces: “Escucho los grillos”, by Tamara Kuselman; “Así me duermo”, by Mariano Luque; “Taxonomía de la desmesura: diario de viaje a la isla Victoria”, by Maia Gattás Vargas; “La raíz de lo ligero”, by Juan Ignacio Slobayen; “Distancia”, by Joaquín Pedretti; “Los casuales”, by Pauli Coton (production), Lucía Ruiz Guiñazú (original music) and Marianela Márquez (script), and “Experimento desde Occidente N 1”, by Yaela Gottlieb.

Frame from “The chingón of the fighters”, by Fershow Escárcega

EJECT - International Festival of Videoperformance in Mexico City initially functioned as a festival and today it is an archive that brings together the works presented in successive editions, mostly carried out by Mexican authors. EJECT is coordinated by the artist and curator Pancho López and was formed between 2006 and 2016 from a public call launched by Ex Teresa Arte Actual and the Arte Alameda Laboratory, two important cultural venues dependent on the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature of Mexico. Since 2019 this archive is part of the Video Art Research and Documentation Centre (CIDV) at the Vanguardia Arts Centre, La Neomudéjar Museum in Madrid, Spain, and Ex Teresa Arte Actual in Mexico City.

The curated exhibition for Art Madrid revolved around the concept of "radical Mexicanisms," an analysis of the gestural features that mark the idiosyncrasy of the country's society, and was made up of the following videos by Mexican artists: “Ahí va el diablo”, by Mariana Orozco; “Maléfica educare”, by Angélica Peña; “Paisaje mexicano con sombrero”, by Víctor Sulser; “Ensalada de nopal”, by Isabel Rojas; “Ejercitar”, by Luis Albarrán; “Progreso”, by Liliana Ramales; “Soy 1, 2, 3, 4”, by Manuel Díaz; “Caja de Pandora”, by Liz Misterio; “#15”, by Fernando Arroyo Sauri; “Chamánika urbana”, by Claudia Bernal; “El bombón”, by Erika Mayoral; “The chingón of the fighters”, by Fershow Escárcega, and “Toque de lo que queda”, by Blanca Ugarte/César Cuahtémoc Cruz.

Frame from "Vimana" (2017), by Tania Candiani

Also from Mexico, we have the collaboration of KOSMICA, a global institute founded in 2011 with the mission of establishing a platform for critical, cultural and poetic discourse on our relationship with outer space and the impact of space activities here on earth. The Institute develops initiatives that unite art and the humanities, the space sector and society.

KOSMICA selection included: "Reflections of a space traveler" (2013), by 2boys.tv; "Entrenamiento para 0g" (2015), by Gilberto Esparza; "Vimana" (2017), by Tania Candiani; "ECLIPSE//Composition I" (2015), by Melanie King; "Supernova" (2014), by La Gravedad de los Asuntos (Ale de la Puente, Juan José Díaz Infante, Nahum y Tania Candiani); "Sujetando Aire" (2014), by Nahum; "About the moon" (2019), by Manuel Díaz; "Distance of everything" (2020), by Javier Barrios, and "Dream to space" (2006), by Anaïs Tondeur.

Frame from “Iceberg Nations” (2019), by Fernando Martín Borlán & Rubén Martín de Lucas

VideoBabel is an international festival, founded in 2009 by Jorge Mora Fernández, based in the city of Cusco, Peru. The project seeks the democratisation, diffusion and promotion of audiovisual and digital culture in Peru and in other regions of the world. More than 3,700 audiovisual works from different countries have participated in the calls for its nine editions since 2010, and for Art Madrid, they have brought the best of their official section:

“Tárrega Tanazaky” (2018, Spain), by Román Rubert.

“Cielo / The Blue Of The Sky” (2018, Canada), by Marco Joubert.

“El Gran Señor / The Great Mukhiya” (2018, Nepal), by Ashin Poudel.

“Incluso Lo Inusual Debe Tener Límites” (2019, Germany), by Tobi Sauer.

“Guisantes: Sinfonía Industrial En Cuatro Movimientos” (2019, Spain), by Fran Gas.

“Lugares” (2019, Spain), by Claudia Barral Magaz.

“Accidente de persona” (2018, France-Spain), by Álvaro Martín.

“Iceberg Nations” (2019, Spain), by Fernando Martín Borlán and Rubén Martín de Lucas.

“Esencia inaccesible” (2017, Mexico), by Adrián Regnier.

“Una payasa en el espejo” (2018, Brazil), by João Lucas.

“Ravilob” (2018, Argentina), by Marco Lanzoni Larracoechea.

“Guanímar” (2019, Mexico-Cuba), by Emir Luciano Tlachi Sandoval.

“El Fin De La Eternidad” (2018, Argentina-Peru), by Pablo Radice.

Frame from “Ejercicios de Memoria”, by Pamela Loaiza

And from Colombia El Validadero Artístico - Tele-atemporal / curaduría latinoamericana de video experimental has collaborated. It is an experimental pedagogical project for artistic practices and social relations, after its 4 years of pedagogical programs and continuous research in the city of Bogotá.

All the works selected by Federico Daza M. for Art Madrid are Latin American, with a clear predominance of the Colombian presence. Thus, from Colombia, we had the artworks: “Paisajes Encontrados”, by Paula Andrea Molina; “Georáculo”, by Camilo Parra; “Obra en proceso”, by Sonia Rojas; “Apología 3.0”, by John Melo; “Exponiendo te conocí”, by Andrés Guarro; “Economía Naranja 2020”, by Recreativa TV; “Paisaje del deseo”, by Andrea Solano and Laura Muñoz; “Ejercicios de Memoria”, by Pamela Loaiza; “Zoom”, by Julieth Natalia Casteblanco; “Es wird haarig”, by Esteban Rivera, and “Contracorriente”, by Diana González.

From Mexico: “Ciudades Invisibles”, by Eder Castillo and “Ciudad de México en el Tiempo”, by Antonio Falcón; along with “Un gozo entre humanos”, by Luis Yépez, from Ecuador; “Camino hacia el fractal”, by Yannet Vilela, from Peru, and “X,Y, Z”, by Adrián Preciado, from Venezuela. Finally, we also had some Argentinian presence with “Quizá Algún día lo logre”, by Rodrigo Tunica, and “Instrucciones para levantar una piedra”, by Maia Gattás Vargas.

Paula Blanco

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

Paula Blanco (Oviedo, 1996) explores the forms of nature, connecting them with science, territory, and the environment through artistic creation. The mountains, the sun, leaves, and trees serve as inspiration to create structures with clay, pigments, varnishes, and fiberglass, resembling fragments of organic creatures.

Each piece is not a finished work in itself but part of an evolving continuum, as she constantly experiments. Her sensitivity is skillfully channeled into her creations, which seem to pivot on the use of alternative techniques to traditional painting. She seeks to sublimate matter, separating the idea from the object. Her approach to abstraction is ethereal, expressing itself through landscapes and the places where raw materials originate.

The only blue organism. 2024. Mixed media on fiberglass. 98 x 138 cm.

What role does experimentation play in your creative process?

Experimentation plays a central role. Initially, I wasn’t aware of its importance in my process—it just happened naturally. I would follow a narrative thread, and experimentation was my organic way of reaching what I sought. Early on, I distanced myself from the stretcher frame because I found it limiting. I needed the edges of the pieces to be part of the composition, so I used traditional materials like canvas, paper, or oil paint in unconventional ways. I adapted materials to what each work required, without adhering to traditional rules.

Everything came together after a residency in Dubai. When I returned, I felt disconnected from both the work I had created there and my earlier work. It was like a beautiful suit that no longer fit. So, I consciously decided to connect the dots between the different series of works I had done. That’s when I realized the common thread was experimentation.

What I seek—and continue to seek—is the organic. I work with abstract elements, trying to explore the language of matter and elevate it to an almost ethereal plane. My goal is to separate the language of matter to reach something primordial and essential. I understood that experimentation was the foundation of my work, the medium to reach that organic essence from different angles—always through the language of matter and lightness. For me, it’s the most direct path to that essence.

Where the sky is created. 2024. Mixed media on fiberglass. 127 x 166 cm.

What are your references?

When I think about influences, I divide them into three groups:

The first includes artists and creators I consume daily through social media, cinema, or other forms of leisure. Even if they don’t directly relate to my work, they inevitably influence me in some way. The second group consists of my peers, my partner, and the people I share artistic perspectives with. Even if we work on different things, there’s a network of support and mutual inspiration. We recommend materials to each other, share ideas... It’s a more indirect influence but equally significant. Love you, friends.

Finally, there are the core influences: the artists who have marked turning points in my journey. For example, when I started painting, I was fascinated by Sorolla, especially his use of light. Although it’s not evident in my current work, that interest in light remains a crucial part of my language.

Then came Francis Bacon, with his approach to the visceral and the organic in open spaces. I was deeply affected by his ability to compose with central organic masses. Later, I discovered Berlinde De Bruyckere, whose wax sculptures replicate skins full of incredible transparencies and glazes. Her extensive material research to achieve her desired results inspired me to think, There must be a way to express myself, too. A professor once told me that the moments when you’re not painting are just as important as when you are, and he was absolutely right. At that time, Berlinde De Bruyckere inspired me to say, Maybe I shouldn’t be producing right now—just experimenting and taking it slow. Sometimes in art, you want everything now, now, now, but it’s more worthwhile—and productive—to pause and avoid obsessing over production for a while until you find that something you truly want to achieve, instead of struggling with the canvas.

Finally, Nolde was an unexpected discovery. I had never been particularly interested in watercolor or his use of color, but his expressive and free landscapes inspired me to explore color in my work. This was significant because I had always worked with muted tones, blacks, and grays. Seeing his work made me realize I could find my voice in color. Nolde opened up a new path for me, even though all the previous influences remain present in my work, albeit more subtly.

The arch it guards. 2024. Mixed media on fiberglass. 149 x 140 cm.

How do your roles as a cartoonist and painter interrelate?

Honestly, they barely intersect because they are very different languages. I can’t work on both simultaneously since they require completely different mental approaches. For instance, when I was working on my book Qué vergüenza haber nacido (What a Shame to Have Been Born), I was entirely immersed in the world of cartoons.

Cartoons emerged as a tool to organize my ideas about the world—a visual diary. They were incredibly helpful during my formative years, but I feel I don’t need them as much now. Nevertheless, they were fundamental to my development.

I’ve realized that these two parts of me—cartoonist and painter—are very distinct and well-separated. While they might seem to have nothing in common, I believe both are driven by a search for truth, by the need to dissect reality and reach what is true.

In painting, I focus on the organic and the primordial, while in cartoons, it’s a visceral sincerity. So, while they are two very different paths, they share the same destination. Right now, painting is my mother tongue, so to speak. It’s where I feel I can most purely achieve what I want. Cartoons have a more narrative component, helping to put things in order, whereas painting—perhaps because it’s more abstract—reaches corners that cartoons can’t.

Dog howling at the moon. 2024. Mixed media on fiberglass. 194 x 150cm.

What aspect defines your artistic language?

When I work, I constantly seek a balance between chaos and intention. My technique, as I’ve mentioned, revolves around pursuing a primordial organic force. An excess of intention or human intervention could kill that organic force.

It’s about finding balance: controlled chaos. For me, it’s crucial to maintain an equilibrium between the initial idea for a piece and what happens during the process. Although I don’t work with sketches, I always need a starting point: a color, a shape—something that sparks the urge to create. You begin with an idea of what you want to achieve, but it’s vital to remain open to what the work demands as it evolves.

The balance lies between what the piece asks of you and what you initially wanted. Often, your original plan won’t work 100%. That’s why you must be receptive to the piece suggesting new forms or colors. However, it’s equally important to maintain clarity to avoid being swept away by every new idea, as you’d never finish otherwise.

It’s also about balancing the pictorial and the sculptural. Although I approach my work pictorially, it’s evident that it has an installation-like quality. The pieces are translucent, viewable from both sides, and can be hung mid-room, where the surrounding air becomes significant. Each piece needs space around it to fully reveal its form.

Ultimately, I aim to observe the painting as if it were a being, almost with its own body. The uneven contours of the pieces reinforce this concept, creating a balance between painting as an entity and painting as an object.

The intentions of a flower. 2024. Mixed media on fiberglass. 173 x 117 cm.

How do transparency and light influence your works?

Light plays a crucial role in arranging the pieces, especially due to their translucency. I usually hang them in two ways: either on a wall or from the ceiling.

On the wall, the pieces are mounted with magnets to avoid puncturing them—something I find essential. Their distance from the wall significantly impacts their appearance. The closer they are, the more saturated the colors appear, emphasizing their pictorial quality. The farther they are, the more their object-like quality emerges, highlighting contours, textures, and the interplay of translucent layers with light.

Suspending them from the ceiling further desaturates the colors and gives full prominence to their object-like quality. Viewed from all angles, the works reveal their seams, collaged layers, and the delicate textures of overlapping paint.

I prefer natural light for display, as it integrates the work into the space, aligning with my goal of capturing the organic and primordial. These pieces, like fragments of the world, connect with the air and light around them, reinforcing their essence.

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