Art Madrid returns to Madrid Art Week and will celebrate its seventeenth edition from February 23 to 27 at the Crystal Gallery of Palacio de Cibeles. A unique, open-plan, and bright space located in the ‘Landscape of Light’: next to Prado Museum, Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, and MNCARS - Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía.

Art Madrid 2021

Art Madrid selection committee has once again been in charge of evaluating the applications of galleries interested in participating in the seventeenth edition of the fair. To guarantee a high level of artistic quality in the Art Madrid'22 programming, the committee has evaluated the applications based on the proposals submitted and the represented artists' careers. On this occasion the committee was integrated of Alfonso de la Torre (critic and curator), Aurora Vigil-Escalera (gallery owner), Natalia Alonso (critic and curator), Angel Samblancat (gallery owner and international fairs consultant), and Javier López (gallery owner) ).

For the first time, the galleries will participate in Art Madrid: Galerie Alex Serra (Köln, Germany), Arena Martínez Projects (Madrid, Spain), ARTITLEDcontemporary (Herpen, Netherlands), Dr. Robot Gallery (Valencia, Spain), GARNA Art Gallery ( Madrid, Spain) and Jackie Shor Arte (São Paulo, Brazil).

Carolina Serrano, “My nameless words II”, Paraffin, 91 x 12 x 8 cm (2021). Galerie Alex Serra ©

In the other hand, the international galleries at Art Madrid will be: Art Lounge Gallery (Lisbon, Portugal), ARTITLEDcontemporary (Herpen, Netherlands), Collage Habana (Havana, Cuba), Galeria São Mamede (Lisbon, Portugal), Galerie Alex Serra (Köln, Germany), Galerie LJ (Paris, France), Jackie Shor Arte (São Paulo, Brazil), Nuno Sacramento (Ílhavo, Portugal), Studija Mindiuzarte / Kaunas (Kaunas, Lithuania) and Yiri Arts (Taipei), Taiwan).

More than 160 artists will exhibit their work at the fair, dealing with different disciplines such as painting, sculpture, photography, and installation, and offering the visitor a unique experience enjoying contemporary art.

Among them are some of the most prominent emerging artists of the moment such as Mária Švarbová, Carmen Pastrana, Chang Teng-Yuan, Costa Gorelov and Camille Bonneau; mid-career as Carlos Cartaxo, Gerard Fernández Rico and Marcos Tamargo; along with established artists such as Chema Mádoz, David Rodríguez Caballero, Carmen Calvo, Uiso Alemany, Alberto Guerrero, Josecho López Llorens, Manolo Valdés, Rafael Barrios and Lars Zech, among others.

Carlos Cartaxo, “Several Windows VII”, Acrylic and enamel on canvas. 195x140cm (2021).Arena Martinez Projects ©

Chang Teng Yuan, “The School of Parrotman Athens” ,Acrylic on canvas, 130x193cm (2021). Yiri Arts ©

PROGRAMS

One Shot Hotels is once again the sponsor of Art Madrid and has prepared two initiatives with which it renews its faithful commitment to contemporary art. One is the curated program by Natalia Alonso, who will curate a tour of various artworks exhibited at Art Madrid'22 to introduce and bring the public closer to understanding the art market ecosystem. The other is the collectors' program by Pía Rubio, one of the most prestigious art consultants in our country. The service aims both to enhance the commercial work of the galleries and to offer advice on the acquisition of works of art for new buyers.

Finally, the fair co-organizes, together with the video art platform Proyector, a parallel program focused on video creation, action art, and performance, under the curatorship of Mario Gutiérrez. In this edition, Proyector will focus on investigating and rethinking the concept of “loop” through the pioneers of video art, both from the creation point of view, distribution and collecting. During the fair you will also be able to enjoy an installation by Gary Hill, considered the founder of New Media Art, and two live proposals by Hill himself; together with works by Llorenç Barber, a pioneer of sound art.

Below, we detail the list of galleries of Art Madrid 2022:

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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