SAFE CREATIVE:

ITS ALLIANCE WITH ARTISTS ON THE INTERNET

Safe Creative, the largest electronic registry of intellectual property online, renews its collaboration with Art Madrid. This time with Arte & Palabra. Conversations with Carlos del Amor, a series of interviews with artists that is part of the Parallel Programme of Art Madrid'24.

IThe Internet presents creators with both a competitive advantage and a number of significant challenges in terms of exposure, performance, discovery, infringement and plagiarism. In 2007, this technology-based copyright registry was created so that Safe Creative could work with artists on the Internet to protect their rights. Today, with generative AI and NFTs, the challenges multiply and we respond to creators and artists of all kinds.

REGISTERING COPYRIGHTS IN THE INTERNET AGE

With the popularization of the Internet over the past 20 years, we have seen the needs of creators shift. We have moved from a limited and local creation and production to a global and massive one with immediate needs for protection and recognition. Registering copyrights in the Internet age must be equally fast, convenient and inexpensive. Safe Creative was born with the goal of providing technology as a tool to create the proofs the artists need before showing their work.

Safe Creative offers a convenient and cost-effective online system that allows any creator to obtain the necessary evidence to prove their copyrights from the comfort of their own home, using their own computer, and instantly register all their works.

THE COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION PROCESS IN THE CONTEXT OF ARTIDICIAL INTELLIGENCES

The need for authorship verification is more important than ever with the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI). Registration in the context of AI is critical for two main reasons:

CERTIFY THE CREATIVE PROCESS

The first has to do with the future need for artists to be able to prove that they, and not a Generative Artificial Intelligence, created a particular work: We are only seeing the beginning of Generative Artificial Intelligences, and they will continue to improve over time. Being able to certify the creative process using Safe Creative will be critical to document that the work was, in fact, created by a human.

REGISTRATION OF WORK TO AVOID PLAGIARISM

Generative artificial intelligences are, in fact, fed by previous artistic creations. There is already controversy about the origin of the works that feed these algorithms, and some lawsuits have been filed, the outcome of which will be seen in the coming months and years. This is because they often use works not only from the public domain, but also from contemporary creators and artists, allegedly in violation of their rights.

Registering the work to defend against plagiarism provides an element to use in case it is used by one or more artificial intelligences in the future. Logically, informing of the fact of registration when the work is presented helps to deter traditional plagiarism by people who directly copy the work of other artists, and it helps to defend the copyright if the work is eventually used without the express authorization of the creator or owner.

ONLINE EXHIBITION AND SALE OF WORKS

Promoting yourself on the Internet and social networks is here to stay. Getting a name, setting up an online gallery, or combining physical presence in galleries and online are not questions of whether to do it, but how to do it as soon as possible and in the best possible way.

CONCLUSIONS

By law, rights exist when the work is created, and technological registers are the best tool to demonstrate the existence of these rights quickly and immediately, permanently and worldwide.

The artist can certify his creative process, register the work, show the work with its registration to discourage plagiarism and now also exhibit, sell and license his work. Each creator can use the tool as they wish and in combination with a physical presence in all types of galleries, whether virtual or physical, with the greatest security that technology can offer today worldwide.

There are places where art breathes differently, where every piece finds the space to whisper into the viewer's ear. Art Madrid has become, edition after edition, a highly anticipated event for contemporary art—an encounter where innovation intertwines with human connection. In 2025, we celebrate our 20th edition, adhering to the guiding principles that have always defined Art Madrid: an approach that remains close to the public and attuned to the realities of the art world, conscious of future challenges and the positive impact of events like this, which often bring fresh air and break the insularity that tends to permeate the sector.

Milija Cpajak Thorn. Escultura en bronce.2021.

It is often thought that the success of an art fair is measured in square meters. In truth, its true value lies in the audience's motivation to return year after year and to recommend it to others. In our case, being a "small" fair is a statement of principles. Here, there is no rush, no crowds to stifle conversation.

At Art Madrid, galleries, artists, and collectors have time to meet, to unravel the stories behind the artworks. It is a place where the intimacy of dialogue takes precedence over the grandiosity of numbers. Over these twenty years, we have seen galleries grow that began this adventure with us, sharing and shaping their journeys in the same spirit of closeness and authenticity. At the same time, each edition is enriched by the incorporation of new projects and visions that inject fresh air and broaden our artistic horizons.

Veljko Vuckovic. Suspended State. Óleo sobre lienzo. 2024.

The year 2025 brings us a selection of artists who are shaping the future of art. Guided by the thirty-four galleries participating in this edition of Art Madrid, we will discover artists whose passion for visual expression redefines the boundaries between abstraction and figuration; bold proposals that explore texture, color, and the symbolism of “other” visual narratives; and new voices and perspectives that confront the challenges of creation in a globalized world. This wealth of perspectives invites visitors to witness a constant dialogue between contemporary creation and the tensions that permeate it.

A clear example of how contemporary artists are weaving threads between the past and the present, thereby reshaping our understanding of art as a dynamic practice in continuous dialogue with history. In this context, artists challenge the conventions of visual language and invite us to rethink the meanings, textures, and symbols that saturate our perceptions.

The fair has remained true to its identity as a close, human-centered event—modest in scale but significant in impact—allowing it to offer a unique and personalized experience to everyone involved. The questions we pose are clear: How is contemporary art understood in the 21st century? How can a fair be not just a marketplace, but also a space for debate, critique, and discovery? And, above all, what does it mean to celebrate twenty years of contemporary art in a world transforming at breathtaking speed?

Iyán Castaño. Corrientes circulares. Técnica mixta. 2024.

In 2025, Art Madrid emerges as a call to action: an invitation to pause and reflect on the role that art plays in our lives and society. Rather than offering a quick response to market dynamics, the fair creates a moment of reflection, a space where artworks can engage in deeper, more meaningful dialogue with the viewer. This approach is not only necessary but becomes an act of resistance against the immediacy and superficiality that often characterize the consumption of art in the digital age.

In an era where the acceleration of the market and consumer-driven trends shape the creation and exhibition of art, Art Madrid remains faithful to a model that values thoughtful reflection, personal encounters, and profound dialogue. This critique of speed is particularly relevant in a historical moment where digital platforms, algorithms, and globalization are redefining our interactions with culture.

Joana Gancho. ST. óleo sobre tela. 2024.

In this edition, we tackle the challenge of balancing the need for relevance in a globalized market with the preservation of authenticity and creativity. In this effort, we have successfully struck a balance where the quality of the artistic offering is prioritized over the mass scale of events. This principle is essential to understanding how the fair has, over two decades, evolved into an international showcase while remaining true to its local essence and its strong connection to Madrid’s artistic community.

The inclusion of disciplines such as painting, sculpture, photography, and video art reflects the plurality of approaches that define Art Madrid. This diversity of artistic expressions offers the public a broad and multifaceted perspective on today’s contemporary art landscape, demonstrating art’s power to transform perceptions of urban spaces, integrating technology into the creative process, and reshaping the relationship between the viewer, the artwork, and the context that embraces it.

Richard García. Me peleo con las bestias de mi propia fantasía. 2024.

Art Madrid returns this year, celebrating twenty years of contemporary art and reaffirming its commitment to remain an open space for galleries and artists striving to stand out in an increasingly fragmented and image-saturated world. With this in mind, we aim to ensure that the galleries' exhibitions resonate with the public, enhancing the experience by proposing new ways of engaging with contemporary art and tackling complex issues such as climate change, identity, collective memory, and global politics. In 2025, the works on display at Art Madrid will undoubtedly reflect the most pressing concerns and questions of our time.