Approaches I: Contemporary Spanish Art

This coming 5th of November will see the opening of the third exhibition to be held at Visual Arts Centre Helga de Alvear Foundation (Cáceres), which will include a selection of the collector's works of art. Approaches I is the first of a new series of exhibitions, which aim to explore the Helga de Alvear Foundation Collection's commitment and engagement with Spanish contemporary art from a variety of different perspectives. This first "approach," curated by Rafael Doctor, features works from 1975–2011.

In this exhibition visitors can appreciate the rich range of arguments and approaches employed by Spanish art in recent years and how these has been reflected in the specific personality of this collection, undoubtedly one of the most singular and important collections ever created in Spain.

The exhibition starts off in a peculiar airport waiting room made by Ester Partegàs, which raises a host of questions and ideas about collecting and officialdom, and about the sensual and poetic aspects of perception.

As visitors walk through the rooms of the Centre they will come across a number of different conceptual sections, invariably open to interpretation, into which various artists—the crucial pillars for understanding the nature of art made in Spain in recent times—have been placed separately.

Amongst these works, a few other pieces have been interspersed transversally across the exhibition layout. Accordingly, a visit to this exhibition is an open-ended adventure to be read and interpreted differently by each visitor, who are encouraged to be the real actors in this complex, fascinating and absolutely thriving story about Spanish contemporary art.

In relation to this exhibition, furthermore, in 2012 a research group consisting of various art historians will be formed with the objective of elaborating a manual that may eventually reflect the wide variety of approaches existing in Spanish contemporary art. The manual is designed to serve as a reference guide for anyone wishing to study and explore more fully the complex and fascinating universe of recent Spanish art. Leading art critics, theoreticians, and experts in this period have been called upon to launch a debate that advances our understanding of this period. Participants will be Juan Vicente Aliaga, David Barro, Estrella de Diego, Rafael Doctor, José Jiménez, Oscar Alonso Molina, Rosa Olivares and Gloria Picazo

To carry out this project the Helga de Alvear Foundation will work together with other important Spanish cultural institutions, namely La Casa Encendida, in Madrid, and Cidade da Cultura, in Santiago de Compostela.

The complete list of artist in this exhibition is as follows: Ignasi Aballí | Pep Agut | Alfonso Albacete | Carlos Alcolea | Elena Asins | Miquel Barceló | Natividad Bermejo | José Manuel Broto | Miguel Ángel Campano | Daniel Canogar | Ángela de la Cruz | Equipo Crónica | Pepe Espaliú | Joan Fontcuberta | Alicia Framis | Jorge Galindo | Dora García | Ferrán García Sevilla | Luis Gordillo | José Guerrero | Federico Guzmán | Cristina Iglesias | Prudencio Irazabal | Carlos León | Eva Lootz | Rogelio López Cuenca | José Maldonado | Mitsuo Miura | Miquel Mont | Juan Luis Moraza | Felicidad Moreno | Juan Muñoz | Juan Navarro Baldeweg | Mabel Palacín | Pablo Palazuelo | Jesús Palomino | Ester Partegàs | Alberto Peral | Guillermo Pérez Villalta | Ana Prada | Gonzalo Puch | Manuel Quejido | Pedro G. Romero | Francesc Ruiz | Adolfo Schlosser | Santiago Serrano | José María Sicilia | Santiago Sierra | Susana Solano | Montserrat Soto | Juan Ugalde | Juan Uslé | Eulàlia Valldosera | Javier Vallhonrat | Darío Villalba Flórez

Centro de Artes Visuales Fundación Helga de Alvear Calle Pizarro, 8 10003 Cáceres, Spain

Approaches I
Contemporary Spanish Art in the Helga de Alvear Collection
Kurator: Rafael Doctor

Künstler: Ignasi Aballi, Pep Agut, Alfonso Albacete, Carlos Alcolea, Elena Asins, Miquel Barcelo, Natividad Bermejo, Jose Manuel Broto, Miguel Angel Campano, Daniel Canogar, Angela de la Cruz, Equipo Cronica, Pepe Espaliu, Joan Fontcuberta, Alicia Framis, Jorge Galindo, Dora Garcia, Ferran Garcia Sevilla, Luis Gordillo, Jose Guerrero, Federico Guzman, Cristina Iglesias, Prudencio Irazabal, Carlos Leon, Eva Lootz, Rogelio Lopez Cuenca, Jose Maldonado, Mitsuo Miura, Miquel Mont, Juan Luis Moraza, Felicidad Moreno, Juan Muñoz, Juan Navarro Baldeweg, Mabel Palacin, Pablo Palazuelo, Jesus Palomino, Ester Partegas, Alberto Peral, Guillermo Perez Villalta, Ana Prada, Gonzalo Puch, Manuel Quejido, Pedro G. Romero, Francesc Ruiz, Adolfo Schlosser, Santiago Serrano, Jose Maria Sicilia, Santiago Sierra, Susana Solano, Montserrat Soto, Juan Ugalde, Juan Uslé, Eulalia Valldosera, Javier Vallhonrat, Dario Villalba