Selección de notas de la presentación de Latitudes (en español e inglés)
'Jornadas internacionales de debate para un nuevo Centro de Arte en Barcelona' (6–7 Julio 2009) Mesa: 'El Canòdrom, un nuevo equipamiento en Barcelona visto por artistas, críticos y comisarios'.

(Español)

– Anunciar lo antes posible la convocatoria pública para el puesto de dirección. Definir un programa artístico de relevancia local e internacional para el nuevo centro, un centro con personalidad jurídica propia, autónomo e independiente de cambios políticos

– Elección de un equipo de trabajo (desde técnicos o becarios hasta encargados de producción, seleccionados por sus cualidades profesionales a través de convocatorias públicas y entrevistas personales). Definir conjuntamente un programa artístico, campaña de inauguración, programa de actividades post-inauguración y el uso de los espacios del Canòdrom junto con los arquitectos encargados de la remodelación.

– Conceptualizar una nueva identidad (logo corporativo) que respete la fuerte presencia arquitectónica y la historia del edificio – ej. mantener la tipografía, carteles galgos, etc.

– Programación previa a la inauguración – el Canòdrom debe existir desde ya. Iniciar una campaña mediática local, nacional e internacional. Organizar visitas del edificio para prensa, galeristas, coleccionistas, gente del barrio, etc. pre-inauguración. Dar a conocer el nuevo centro desde dentro y su programación. Crear una nueva audiencia para el Canòdrom, una comunidad – por ej. programación previa a apertura edificio: Bòlit, Girona o el MUSAC en León

– Programar dentro y fuera del edificio – pensar de modo expansivo e innovador y no limitar la creatividad al espacio de físico del edificio

– El Canòdrom debe ser un espacio de producción (aunque es primordial colaborar con otros centros), experimentación, discusión. Saber tomar riesgos, ser creativo con las posibilidades que ofrece a nivel local e internacional

– Estimular y nutrir relaciones otros centros de producción local e internacional. Formar parte de un contexto artístico y crear y reforzar la escena cultural

– Establecer una comisión de expertos / comité asesor independiente (‘Advisory Board’) para dar solidez al programa, estabilidad a la dirección, ayudar a establecer y consolidar esta red con otros centros de igual o perfil similar

– Crear un equipamiento donde la escena artística se vea representada, donde se cree complicidad con los agentes locales y donde los recursos y facilidades disponibles sean de calidad, con garantías profesionales. Potenciar la profesionalización del sector.

(English)

– Barcelona should be a city that can support its artists within an international context and the new art centre should publicly perform a leading role in this respect. It needs to create a space of dialogue and encounter between Catalan, Spanish and international artists and focus on the active development of practice as well as new audiences.

– In a move symptomatic of and responding to a certain lack of stimulus and critical discussion in the city, the artists Marc Vives, Rubén Grilo, Alex Reynolds created 'Vena (por la)', an incisive and ongoing series of artist and curator talks which take place in the La Central bookshop. Artists are taking the matters into their own hands and starting their own initiatives seemingly because institutions are not providing enough throughput of public talks, or at least not at the most valued level.

– Canòdrom should be an opportunity to link up different constituencies and audiences (from collectors, art students, to graphic designers, galleries, art writers, art historians...)

– One art centre cannot fully substitute for the shortcomings of the Spanish art academy system – what would be the most valuable long-term parallel goal would be to invest in an international post-graduate studio programme on the model of the Stadelschule in Frankfurt or the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam. Canòdrom should neverthless have a strong element of professional development and advocacy, critical exchange and debate as part of its programme not as a bolted on education bonus – it need to be more than an exhibition space.

– Canòdrom should stimulate, support and create professional artists and curators. In the same way the one cannot assume the abstract presence of an audience, but need to actively produce different audiences, a new institution needs to take a lead in the actual formation and conditions of stimulus for the work of artists in society. Artists should be at the centre of the centre, at every step and in all aspects.

Latitudes, July 2009


[Image: In reference to "Artists should be at the centre of the centre, at every step and in all aspects." Nordic and Danish Pavilion Press Conference seating set up, Venice biennial 2009. Photo: Latitudes | www.lttds.org ]

Los próximos 6 y 7 de julio tendrá lugar en el Auditorio del MACBA (Plaça Joan Coromines, s/n) las 'Jornadas Internacionales de Debate para un Nuevo Centro de Arte en Barcelona' - véase programa a continuación.

Latitudes participará en la mesa redonda 'El Canòdrom, un nuevo equipamiento en Barcelona visto por artistas, críticos y comisarios' que tendrá lugar el Lunes 6 Julio, 18–20h, seguido por un debate de 20–21h – véanse notas de la presentación publicadas en este blog el 10.07.09

Entrada gratuita – Plazas limitadas – Inscripción previa (hasta el 4 Julio) a nuriagregori@yahoo.es o llamando al 676 135 250

Organiza: Consell Nacional de la Cultura i de les Arts, Departament de Cultura i Mitjans de Comunicació, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Consell de la Cultura de Barcelona.

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Programa CANÒDROM’09. Jornadas internacionales de debate para un nuevo Centro de Arte en Barcelona

Descargar programa completo (pdf)

Desde la proliferación de centros de arte en Europa a principios de los años 80 hasta la actualidad, el concepto de centro de arte se ha modificado y ha evolucionado, siguiendo patrones distintos adaptados a cada contexto y a la evolución de la tecnología y de la comunicación, así como a la convivencia con la industria cultural, al carácter multidisciplinar del arte, a las nuevas prácticas curatoriales, al ejercicio de la mediación social y a la labor educativa y de formación en el marco de una sociedad global.

Con el fin de dar impulso al nuevo proyecto del futuro Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Barcelona, con sede en el edificio del Canòdrom de la Meridiana de Barcelona, se organizan unas jornadas internacionales de debate y discusión que cuentan con la participación de los directores de varios centros de arte europeos ejemplos de diversos de los modelos existentes. Asimismo se hace un llamamiento al sector de las artes visuales —artistas, críticos, comisarios, galeristas, estudiantes de arte, gestores culturales y demás agentes y emprendedores artísticos— para que formen parte de este debate.

Lunes, 6 de julio
Mañana 10.00 h – 10.30 h
Apertura de las jornadas a cargo de Pilar Parcerisas, Vicepresidenta Primera del Consejo Nacional de la Cultura y de las Artes, y Daniel Giralt-Miracle, miembro del Comité Ejecutivo del Consejo de la Cultura de Barcelona.

10.30 h – 12.00 h
El Canòdrom, un edificio para el arte contemporáneo Xavier Monteys y Josep M. de Lecea, arquitectos. Autores de la restauración y remodelación del Canòdrom

12.00 h – 12.30 h Pausa

12.30 h - 14.00 h
Los centros de arte en Europa, hoy. Especificidad y límites frente a los museos.
Dirk Snauwaert, Director del Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wiels, Bruselas
Nicolaus Schafhausen, Director de Witte de With, Rotterdam
Modera: Roberta Bosco, periodista de arte de El País, Barcelona

14.00 h - 14.30 h Debate

16.00 h - 17.30 h
El modelo inglés y su relación con los consejos de las artes. La tradición de la Cornerhouse.
Dave Moutrey, Director de la Cornerhouse, Manchester

17.30 h - 18.00 h Pausa

18.00 h - 20.00 h
El Canòdrom, un nuevo equipamiento en Barcelona visto por artistas, críticos y comisarios.
Carles Guerra, Director de La Virreina. Centro de la imagen, Barcelona
Amanda Cuesta, crítica de arte y curadora de exposiciones
Jorge Luis Marzo, miembro del grupo de debate Centro de Arte Barcelona
Latitudes (Max Andrews y Mariana Cánepa), curadores independientes
Joan Fontcuberta, artista y Presidente de la Asociación de Artistas Visuales de Cataluña (AAVC)
Daniel García Andújar, artista y presidente de la Asociación de Artistas Visuales de Cataluña (AAVC)
Modera: Mercè Alsina, crítica de arte y curadora de exposiciones, Secretaria de la Asociación Catalana de Críticos de Arte (ACCA)

20.00 h – 21.00 h Debate


Martes, 7 de julio
10.00 h - 11.30 h
El flujo del arte contemporáneo en los centros de arte: producción, presentación, difusión
Bartomeu Marí, ex Director de Witte de With y actualmente Director del Macba, Barcelona

11.30 h - 12.00 h Pausa

12.00 - 14.00 h
En red. El Canòdrom desde el territorio.
Oriol Gual, Director del espacio La Capella, Barcelona
David Santaeulària, Director del espacio Zero 1, Olot
Glòria Picazo, Directora del Centro de Arte La Panera, Lleida.
Rosa Pera, Directora de Bòlit, Centro de Arte, Girona
Anna Capella, Directora del Museo del Ampurdán, Figueres
Jordi Abelló, Coordinador de los espacios de arte del Ayuntamiento de Tarragona
Víctor Sunyol, Presidente de H. Asociación para las Artes Contemporáneas, Vic
Clara Garí, Directora de la Nau Côclea, Camallera
Modera: Oriol Picas, Subdirector General de Equipamientos del Departamento de Cultura y Medios de Comunicación de la Generalidad de Cataluña.

14.00 h - 14.30 h Debate 16.00 h - 17.30 h
Los retos de futuro de los centros de arte
Susanne Pfeffer, Curadora del KW Instituto de Arte Contemporáneo, Berlín
Kestutis Kuizinas, Director del Centro de Arte Contemporáneo (CCA), Vilnius, Lituania
Francis McKee, Director del Centro de Arte Contemporáneo, Glasgow
Laurence Rassel, Directora de proyectos de la Fundación Antoni Tàpies, Barcelona
Modera: Rosario Fontova, periodista de arte independiente, Barcelona

17.30 h - 18.00 h Pausa

18.00 h - 20.00 h
Espacios de producción y creación con relación al Canòdrom
Víctor Lobo, co-director de Experimentem amb l’art, Barcelona
Pep Dardanyà, director de Can Xalant, Mataró
Tere Badia, investigadora y coordinadora de Xarxaprod
Pedro Soler, director de Hangar, Barcelona
Sergi Díaz, coordinador de Fabra i Coats, Barcelona
Modera: Ramon Parramon, director de Idensitat y jefe de estudios de posgrado de Elisava

Cierre de las jornadas a cargo de Lluís Noguera, Secretario General del Departamento de Cultura y Medios de Comunicación de la Generalidad de Cataluña, y Jordi Martí, Delegado de Cultura del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona.

Latitudes' project ‘THE CREST OF A WAVE’ by Lawrence Weiner opened in Barcelona on 8 October 2008.

The project was divided in four parts – as an ephemeral sculpture (sugar packets distributed throughout Barcelona), a wall installation and a sound work at Nivell Zero space of Fundació Suñol ... and an action, now documented. The latter was a physical manifestation of the statement common to each part: "A CLOTH OF COTTON WRAPPED AROUND A HORSESHOE OF IRON TOSSED UPON THE CREST OF A WAVE", i.e. an iron horseshoe was wrapped in cotton cloth (here typical catalan material used for 'farcells'/cloth bundles) and was tossed upon a wave’s crest.

The action took place on the 'rompeolas' of the Barcelona port/ferry terminal on 6 October 2008. Horseshoes were thrown in waves by Lawrence Weiner, Sergi Aguilar (artist and director of Fundació Suñol), and Latitudes (Mariana Cánepa Luna and Max Andrews). Video shot by Xavier de Luca, and edited by bang!bang!

Over 16 years after its inauguration and after many years of poor maintenance and neglect, 'Una habitació on sempre plou' (A room where it always rains), (1992) by Juan Muñoz (1952-2001) and its surroundings are finally under renovation. It seems that the construction of a luxury sailboat-shaped hotel nearby (coincidentally looking very much like Dubai's iconic Burj-Al-Arab) might have helped the Ajuntament to get their act together and rethink the environment the piece needs – hopefully this will improve the displacement and elevation it suffered in 2004 due to the construction of a parking lot.
'A room where it always rains' (1992) is one of the public works that emerged from the 'beautification' of the city post-1992 Olympic Games. The piece is placed in the Passeig Marítim [map] near the beach, and was part of the 'Urban Configurations' commissions led by Glòria Moure.

[Photos by Latitudes | www.lttds.org ]

Last weekend an article on the Spanish art landscape appeared in the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (pdf 248KB), which was later reported and summarised in English by Jennifer Allen in Artforum.com's International News Digest (week 12.01.08).

According to the writer, Merten Worthmann, the Spanish art scene lacks experimentation and this is effecting Spanish galleries as well as ARCO, the country's main art fair. The whole discussion as to why Spanish contemporary art is not where it should be on the international map is not an easy one to tackle. The truth is, there is not one reason – there are as many as there are challenges. Although a lot has been achieved in the last 30 years of democracy and today we have many museums and art centres, the question is now not just about more, but about improving and investing in the quality of that existing more.

Here is a 'shopping list' for starters: renewed focus on debate and theory with productive confrontations; targeted resources for medium-scale institutions; engaged art magazines and cultural supplements with less 'press release-y' or purely descriptive writing; simplification and modernisation of the 'cultural-export' model of funding and bureaucracy to reflect contemporary practice; wider transparency in selection processes for key curatorial positions; pragmatic vocational teaching at graduate level (and a life for post-Picasso art history); a competitive postgraduate art practice programme that meets the international standards of Amsterdam's Rijksakademie or Frankfurt's Städelschule; improved teaching of foreign languages; fiscal benefits to autónomos (self-employed) on a par with other EU countries...

The list continues. Without trying to sound profound or political, changes have to be made from within through sheer initiative, and that, alongside rabid generosity, is surely the way forward. It is certainly not all doom and gloom (we would not be here otherwise!), but the current economic climate will certainly focus the minds as well on the 'values that we value'. Onwards 2009!

Here is Artforum's summary...

REPORT FROM SPAIN (Artforum.com, International News Digest)

In anticipation of ARCO, the Süddeutsche Zeitung’s Merten Worthmann delivers a mixed report from Spain. According to Worthmann, the young Spanish arts scene is missing some experimentation—a deficiency that has had a negative impact on both galleries and the Madrid-based fair. Moreover, the Centre d’Art Santa Mónica—which has featured exhibitions by younger artists—will be closing at the end of January, according to a directive from the Catalan minister of culture. “Barcelona is a kind of anti-Berlin,” says Bartomeu Marí, head of Barcelona’s MACBA. “A city that doesn’t know how to attract any artists.” For Worthmann, the closure of Santa Mónica is a sign of a larger malaise. “The Spanish arts scene suffers from its weak connection to central Europe, the center of the market, and of discourses,” writes Worthmann, who cites the lack of both an international public and a national network. “To be an artist in Spain is a handicap, both inside and outside the country,” artist Jorge Galindo told the newspaper.

Ferran Barenblit, who was until recently the director of Santa Mónica, and who now heads the art center Dos de Mayo outside Madrid, believes that Spain doesn’t have enough international pull and has lost its “exotic” status in the ever-expanding European community. “Barenblit can be very critical with respect to the homegrown arts scene,” writes Worthmann. “But he holds the unclear reception from outside the country responsible for the lack of resonance.” Chus Martínez, who headed the Frankfurt Kunstverein before recently heading to Barcelona to direct the MACBA collection, adds some “geopolitical” arguments. “Germans, for example, orient themselves above all toward the United States and, since reunification, strongly toward the east,” Martínez told the newspaper. “Spain long existed on the outside. We were never a stop on the Grand Tour, nor could we profit later from the Marshall Plan.” The Franco dictatorship, which ended just over thirty years ago, also played a major role in the isolation of the country’s artists. Despite the end of the dictatorship, many artists still leave the country. And despite the rise of several spectacular exhibition sites—MUSAC in León, MACBA in Barcelona, Herzog and de Meuron’s Caixaforum in Madrid, Gehry’s Guggenheim in Bilbao, and Madrid’s Matadero, a multidisciplinary center that will be fully complete in 2011—few institutions have managed to create a “solid profile.” “For regional politicians, often the architectural gesture was more important than the ongoing maintenance of an ambitious program,” writes Worthmann, who adds that museum directors are often at the mercy of changing ruling parties of the government. Despite new directives for running museums from the minister of culture, the sudden closure of Santa Mónica as an art center is a case in point.

As for ARCO, a public initiative dating from the 1980s, the new director Lourdes Fernández will be decreasing the number of Spanish galleries in order to increase international participation at the fair. Last year, the fair dedicated more space to curatorial projects featuring artworks with an experimental edge. “And the display window has long functioned in both directions,” writes Worthmann. International collectors acquire Spanish art while Spanish collectors are increasingly acquiring works by international artists. In 2009, all purchases may well be welcome, whatever the artist’s origin.

On another note, Matt Elmore from the The Art Newspaper has also written about the Barcelona art scene, though giving a much more simplistic and superficial account - including mistakes such as the "Santa Monica space as a visual arts centre devoted to Catalan artists...", when only one of the three exhibition spaces it had was penciled for Catalan or Spanish artists. See archive of previous shows to see exhibition history between 2003-9.

Looking back at the past year is a infectious exercise at this point in the calendar. We would like to thank everyone that has visited or taken part in our projects, from the small ones to the 3 year-long collaborations, whether from nearby or far away.

Our 2008 began as intense preparations were well underway for the group exhibition 'Greenwashing. Environment: Perils, Promises and Perplexities' at Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Turin (29.02 –18.05.2008) co-curated with Ilaria Bonacossa. 'Greenwashing...' presented the work of 25 artists and artists groups (11 of those produced new work). A 192 page catalogue was published by The Bookmakers Ed., Turin – you can buy a copy here (English/Italian editions).

Following 'Greenwashing...' we presented 'A Stake in the Mud, A Hole in the Reel: Land Art's Expanded Field 1968–2008', a film and video programme curated at the invitation of the Museo Tamayo in Mexico City that later toured to 8 venues between April and October: MARCO, Vigo; Stadtkino (Kunsthalle Basel), Basel, Switzerland; CAAC, Sevilla; Fundació Suñol, Barcelona; Barn Hongersdijk Farmstead, Wilhelminapolder, The Netherlands; Spike Island, Bristol, United Kingdom; Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo, Móstoles. For further information you can read an essay in the Winter 2008-9 (upcoming) issue of Art & Co magazine or download press articles and programmes here.

Before the end of the summer we were part of the jury for the Premi Miquel Casablancas, an award for Spanish artists under 36. From around 200 portfolios and projects submitted Latitudes, together with Aimar Arriola, selected four artists to participate in the exhibition later in the year: ‘La, la, la, la: on winning and losing’ (29.11.2008 – 10.01.2009).

The summer was filled with more research and work to be done, which was carried out thanks to the support and hospitality of the Deutsche Börse Residency Programme, Frankfurter Kunstverein, Germany.

The 2008-9 season began with the exciting realisation of 'The Crest of a Wave’, a four-part project by Lawrence Weiner at Fundació Suñol, Barcelona (08.10 – 15.11.08) that had a great press, radio, specialised media and TV coverage (see post 12 November); followed by the conclusion of the 3 year-long public commission by Tue Greenfort which was presented in a discrete mode alongside his Frieze Art Fair project (16-19 October). This commission was an initiative of the RSA Arts & Ecology programme, London, which has recently become the Arts & Ecology center. Soon there will be a small publication gathering the history of the commission as well visual documentation of the project.

In November, as part of Artissima 15 Latitudes presented 'X, Y, etc!', a video programme comprised of around 40 works that was inspired by Charles Fort's research methodology, the paranormal and anomalous phenomena, the uncanny and the unexplained.

And now looking a little towards what's to come in 2009 ... since May 2008 (see previous posts here and here) we have been working on 'Portscapes', a series of artists’ projects that will take place throughout 2009 alongside the construction of ‘Maasvlakte 2’, a 1,000 hectare area of reclaimed land that will extend the Port of Rotterdam, Europe's largest seaport and industrial area. Mirroring a port's function of transit and exchange 'Portscapes' will involve Rotterdam-based artists and those from countries including China, Austria, Mexico, Scotland and the US, with the aim of considering the physical and conceptual implications of the new lands of Maasvlakte 2, as well as the city-port as a distributive network across artistic, marine and mercantile registers. 'Portscapes' will be introduced during Art Rotterdam (5–8 February 2009) by a small ‘prologue’ publication designed by Ben Laloua / Didier Pascal.

Throughout 2008 we have also contributed several catalogue essays, articles, exhibition reviews, artists profiles, etc. a selection of which can be downloaded from our writing archive.

Happy New Year!

This past Wednesday 17 December saw the opening of three compelling exhibitions in Barcelona. Erick Beltrán's "Calculum Series" was a precise suite of objects and texts (including Rasputin's finger nails and a bone die) which circulated around a consideration of value. The show continues at Galería Joan Prats until late January 2009. Nati Bermejo presented an exquisite set of large scale black-and-white drawings at Estrany de la Mota ("Look Left / Look Right" continues until February 12th 2009). Meanwhile at ProjecteSD, Peter Piller showed "Swiss Landscapes" – photographs gleaned from over 500,000 images taken for insurance claims purposes from the digital archives of the Swiss insurers Bâloise.

All images: Latitudes | www.lttds.org

Happy Christmas.

The dark cloud looming over the artworld in recent months is how the worldwide economic recession is going to hit. We're already seen some of its consequences (from the dire situation of MoCA LA's finances to the apparent 'return to painting' in the art market), but what about daily practicalities? How is the lack of cash flow or collapse of the British pound, for instance, going to affect programming in art centres and museums? Is waning support for new productions, residencies, research and travel obvious already?

In the Nov–Dec. Frieze, Dan Fox wrote around the last recession in the 1990s, when "newspapers and television talked about art rather than the art market and how dynamic or corrupt it might be" and when there were "fewer of everything: fewer artists, curators, galleries, magazines, art consultants, private foundations." As Fox states, the credit crunch is also a "content crunch". Having exchanged "crunchy" opinions with a few artists and curators recently, one senses that the relentless rhythm of e-fluxes and the like, and the constant proliferation of and aspiration to travel to and from biennials/triennials/quadrannials, art fairs, symposiums, gala dinners, discussion platforms, art auctions, etc. is feeling increasingly, well, just too much. Maybe a downsizing will have its benefits.

Bringing in some examples close to home, one wonders how are the many Spanish museums that have appeared in the last decade facing up to the new economic year. In Catalunya alone there has been a flourishing of art centres (Lleida, Granollers, Girona (with temporary venues)), and soon there will be further venues in Vic and Tarragona. On the other side of the coin, in Barcelona already a few key art spaces, which offered invalubale support for new commissions, have already 'gone with the wind' and there is a clear lack of infrastructure and of competitive study programmes (La Vanguardia, 30/11/08). Sala Montcada, for instance, has gone. Operating since 1981, it has just had its two final seasons at Caixaforum after much revolt within the artistic community when, in 2005, 'La Caixa' foundation announced its closure and then stayed its execution – at least until now. After two lacklustre seasons with works produced by Le Fresnoy, Espai 13 in Fundació Miró, began to show signs of life again last October with a programme curated by Jorge Díez. But most notably there was the sudden closure (or 'reconversion'/new orientation in the words of the politicians) of the Centre d'Art Santa Mònica (CASM), whose programme limps on until early 2009. The pre-Christmas news (El País, 10.12.08) was that the announcement of the new venue for the long-awaited replacement kunsthalle space (renamed as Centre d'Art de Barcelona - see post 17.07.08) will be located in a 1,200m2 space in the newly-opened 'Imagina' building. Built in the former site of a textile factory, Ca l'Aranyó in the new-technology branded district called 22@, east of the city, the site is near the future Disseny Hub Barcelona, the Auditori, the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, and Hangar, Barcelona's only surviving production and residency center, in Poblenou. According to councellor Joan Manuel Tresseras, the new art centre will be a joint force of the Ajuntament de Barcelona (Barcelona Townhall) and the Conselleria de Cultura (Art Department of the Catalan Government). But, two days later the Ajuntament said they knew nothing about this new venture (El País, 12.12.08) becoming clear that Tresseras wanted to close the 'open wound' that began with the 'reconversion' of CASM, before its new director, Vicenç Altaió, announces the new exhibition programme.

Dejà vu? How can Tresseras insist on providing a transparent procedure of selection for a new director for the art centre, when there is a clear and alarming lack of transparency, dialogue and set of priorities amongst the cultural agents operating within the same city? How can an independent management and operational funding be secured to attract a competitive bunch of professionals to apply following an open-call selection process? Ideally it should also establish an open call not only for its head figure, but for its whole team, from organisers to restaurant caterers. Find the best, by offering the best.

Mañana se presentarán los tres proyectos derivados de la edición 2008 del Premi Miquel Casablancas: la presentación de la edición de 'Vade Retro' de Jordi Mitjà y Joan Morey y 'De tú a tú. Tres puntos colega' de BErreaCUandoPUedas y Alex Brahim y la exposición ‘La, la, la, la: sobre ganar y perder’ comisariada por Aimar Arriola y Latitudes.

‘La, la, la, la: sobre ganar y perder’ reúne una selección de trabajos de Verónica Aguilera, Fermín Jiménez Landa, Daniel Rodríguez Castro y Oriol Vilanova que reflexionan entorno a la representación social del binomio éxito o fracaso, tanto en la vida privada como en la pública.

El título de la exposición toma inspiración de un concreto episodio de la historia popular y política reciente: la victoria de España en el Festival de Eurovisión de 1968 con la canción 'La, la, la' interpretada por Massiel. La canción iba a ser interpretada por Joan Manel Serrat, quien se negó a participar pues no se le permitió cantarla en catalán. Finalmente, con la mediación del régimen franquista, su comprometida letra fue sustituida por una versión más edulcorada en castellano, cantada por Massiel y que finalmente ganó el concurso. Recientemente se ha sugerido que los votos pudieron ser amañados por Franco y el escándalo ha saltado a la palestra internacional, e incluso Cliff Richard – que quedó segundo lugar por un voto con su popular y oportuno 'Congratulations!' (Felicitaciones!) – ha pedido ser reconocido como justo ganador. Más allá de la anécdota, esta irónica historia de victorias y derrotas resulta un buen ejemplo de la relatividad de los logros y fracasos en sentido amplio.

La exposición se presenta en el contexto de un certamen para artistas menores de 36 años y en un contexto internacional donde ha aumentado considerablemente la orientación hacia los premios de reconocimiento en la esfera de la cultura, desarrollando una economía de la producción cultural y del prestigio. ¿Es posible que premios como este refuercen la suposición de que el prodigioso éxito sólo se logra a una temprana edad?, ¿necesita el sistema artístico que los artistas reciban reconocimientos públicos para ser considerados de interés?, ¿provoca esto que los artistas sean más estratégicos respecto a sus opciones? y finalmente ¿cómo se mide y representa dicha glorificación en la práctica artística?

Los participantes no examinan el fenómeno del valor ni del juicio en el mundo artístico directamente sino que mediante distintos discursos narrativos y soportes técnicos extrapolan su análisis a esferas como la representación de estos valores en monumentos históricos, los concursos de mascotas y de belleza, el ambiente de jerarquía corporativo y universitario e incluso lo llevan a un terreno aún más abstracto y poético: la caída como el inevitable vencimiento de la fuerza de gravedad.

La presentación de las obras en una estructura horizontal, a modo de tarima, alude a la disposición de los juegos de mesa o incluso a altares, podios o hitos construidos para conmemorar un suceso, ya sea una victoria o una derrota histórica, arquitecturas efímeras o permanentes que formalmente se acomodan de modos similares aunque conmemoren ocasiones tan distintas.

Exposición: 29 Noviembre – 17 Enero 2009
Artistas: Verónica Aguilera (ES/DE, 1976), Fermín Jiménez Landa (ES, 1979), Daniel Rodríguez Castro (ES, 1984), Oriol Vilanova (ES,1980)
Comisariado: Aimar Arriola & Latitudes
Dirección: c/Gran de Sant Andreu, 111 | 08030 Barcelona | Mapa

Descargar el folleto de la exposición (textos Catalán/Castellano).
Blog de Sant Andreu Contemporani aquí.

Following is a selection of the press reviews, radio and TV programmes that have covered the four part project 'THE CREST OF A WAVE' by Lawrence Weiner on view at Fundació Suñol until Saturday 15 November:

• Frederic Montornés, 'Lawrence Weiner', Exit Express #39, Noviembre 2008, p. 38 (Castellano, pdf, 228 KB)
• Violant Porcel, 'En la cresta de la ola', Suplement Culturas, La Vanguardia, 05.11.08 (Castellano, pdf, 108 KB)
  
• Pilar Parcerisas, 'Una de cotó, ferro i sucre', Suplement Cultura, Avui, 01.11.09 (Catalan, pdf, 280kb)
• 'La Cresta d'una Ona' Canal Cultura TV (video link, Catalan, 2min 23sec)
• iCat FM Radio (Catalan, mp3 audio, 1min 27sec, 684kb)
• Joana Hurtado, La cresta d’una ona, Time Out, semana 17.10.08 (Catalan, jpg, 124kb)
• Roberta Bosco, '300,000 sobres de azúcar para una creación artística', El País, 10.10.08, p.39
• 'Layers of Lawrence Weiner in Barcelona', www.FlashArtOnline.com, 09.10.08
• Montse Frisach, 'Sobres de sucre artístics', Avui, 08.10.08, p.42 (Catalan, pdf, 284kb)
  

Full list of press clippings, press releases, etc. related to the exhibition and a slideshow of the project. Download the small publication of the exhibition (Catalan, Spanish and English, pdf, 600 KB).

[Images: Jean-Pierre Moulis, the artist and Latitudes]

The second and third parts of the project 'THE CREST OF A WAVE' by Lawrence Weiner will be presented this evening at Nivell Zero (image above): an adaptation of the sentence painted on the exterior wall of the courtyard in Catalan, Spanish and English. In the interior space the same statement was recorded within a catchy musical composition based on a track by Ned Sublette and The Persuasions.

The last element of the project took place as a small event realised by the Mediterranean on Monday 6th: an iron horseshoe was wrapped in cotton cloth and was tossed upon a wave's crest.

The first part of the project coincided with the 24th September festivities of the patron saint of Barcelona: La Mercè (see post 23.09.08 to read more). 300,000 white sugar sachets were distributed throughout emblematic cafés, restaurants and bars [map of locations: http://www.mapme.com/map/thecrestofawave] to sweeten our conversations.

Exhibition runs until Saturday 15 November. The Nivell Zero opens Monday to Saturday, 16–20h. Read press: here (Avui, 08.10.08, in Catalan), here (El Punt, 08.10.08, in Catalan) and here (FlashArtOnline, 09.10.08)

Nivell Zero at Fundació Suñol
c/ Rosselló, 240
08008 Barcelona
T. (+34) 934 961 032
www.fundaciosunol.org

– –
Above: Installation at Nivell Zero–Fundació Suñol of 'A CLOTH OF COTTON WRAPPED AROUND A HORSESHOE OF IRON TOSSED UPON THE CREST OF A WAVE', Cat. #929, 2006–2008. Courtesy the artist. Below: Lawrence Weiner with a horseshoe wrapped around a cloth of cotton. Courtesy the artist/Latitudes. All photos: Latitudes

(English below / Català a continuació)

_CASTELLANO_

Coincidiendo con las fiestas de la Mercè, la patrona de Barcelona, se ha distribuido una escultura efímera de Lawrence Weiner en más de 70 emblemáticos bares, restaurantes y cafés de Barcelona [MAPA localización], un dulce regalo para acompañar nuestros cafés con leche, cortados o carajillos y la tertulia. Impreso sobre miles de sobres estándar de 7 gramos de azúcar en tres idiomas, la llamativa y reconocible tipografía de la declaración (statement) UN PAÑO DE ALGODÓN ENVUELTO ALREDEDOR DE UNA HERRADURA DE HIERRO LANZADO CONTRA LA CRESTA DE UNA OLA, va acompañada de un emblema en forma de diagrama que evoca la trayectoria de una determinada herradura sobre una ola. Más información...

Esta es la primera manifestación de un proyecto en cuatro partes comisariado por Latitudes que inaugurará el 8 de Octubre, 19.30h, en el Nivell Zero de la Fundació Suñol.

_ENGLISH_

Coinciding with the festivities of Mercè, the patron saint of Barcelona, an ephemeral sculpture by Lawrence Weiner has been distributed throughout 70 emblematic bars, cafes and restaurants in the city [MAP of locations] to accompany one’s café con leche, cortado, carajillo, or conversation. Printed on hundreds of thousands of standard 7 gram white sugar sachets in three languages, Weiner’s striking typographic rendition of the statement A CLOTH OF COTTON WRAPPED AROUND A HORSESHOE OF IRON TOSSED UPON THE CREST OF A WAVE, is accompanied by an emblem which evokes the trajectory of a certain horseshoe over a wave in diagrammatic form. Further reading...

This is the first manifestation of a four-part project curated by Latitudes that will open on the 8th of October, 19.30h, at the Nivell Zero space of Fundació Suñol.

_CATALÀ_

Coincidint amb les festes de la Mercè, la patrona de Barcelona, s'ha distribuit una escultura efímera de Lawrence Weiner a més de 70 emblemàtic bars, restaurants i cafès de la ciutat comtal [MAPA localitzacions], un dolç regal per acompanyar els nostres cafès amb llet, tallats o cigalons, per exemple, i la tertúlia. Imprès sobre milers de sobres estàndard de 7 grams de sucre i en tres idiomes, la reconeixible tipografia de la declaració (statement) UN DRAP DE COTÓ EMBOLICAT AL VOLTANT D’UNA FERRADURA DE FERRO LLANÇAT CONTRA LA CRESTA D’UNA ONA, va acompanyada d’un emblema en forma de diagrama que evoca la trajectòria d’una ferradura sobre una ona. Més informació...

Aquesta és la primera manifestació d'un projecte en quatre parts comissariat per Latitudes que inaugurarà el 8 d'Octubre a les 19.30h, al Nivell Zero de la Fundació Suñol.

Detalle MAPA | MAP detail
(mapa entero aquí | full map here)
Listings of bars/restaurants/cafes


Nota de Lluís Permanyer, La Vanguardia, 23.09.08, página 33

Lawrence Weiner,’LA CRESTA DE UNA OLA’, 9 Octubre–15 Noviembre 2008
Nivell Zero, Fundació Suñol | c/ Rosselló 24, 08008 Barcelona | www.fundaciosunol.org

SAVE THE DATE
Private view: Wednesday 8 October, 19.30h
Exhibition: 'THE CREST OF A WAVE' by Lawrence Weiner
Dates: 9 October–15 November 2008
Venue: Nivell Zero, Fundació Suñol
Address: c/Rosselló, 24, 08008 Barcelona, SPAIN, www.fundaciosunol.org

After over two years of collaboration between Latitudes and New York artist Lawrence Weiner (1942, New York), the project ‘THE CREST OF A WAVE’ will be presented on 8 October at the Nivell Zero space at Fundació Suñol in October, coinciding with the beginning of the 2008–9 season.

‘THE CREST OF A WAVE’ is a four part project manifested as a distributed ephemeral sculpture, an installation, a sound work and an action – together each asks what might constitute a public sculpture. Weiner's new work triggers a chronicle of Spanish mercantile, maritime and equestrian power, textiles, trade and occupation.

In Barcelona his work has been seen in: 'Between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea', Fundació Espai Poblenou (1995); 'Behind the facts. Interfunktionen 1968-1975', Fundació Miró (2004) and the 'Public Space / Two Audiences. Works and Documents from the Herbert Collection', MACBA (2006). In Spain, his work can be seen until the 26 October in the solo show 'Forever And A Day' at the Centro Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga.

Recent reviews: Roberta Smith, 'The Well-Shaped Phrase as Art ' (New York Times, 16 November 2007) and Steven Stern's Frieze review (March 2008) on Weiner's travelling retrospective ‘AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE’ (Whitney Museum of American Art, NY; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and soon in K21 Kunsthsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf).


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[Above: Detail of the exhibition invite. Courtesy Moved Pictures, New York]

El viernes 25 de Julio se inaugura en el Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga la exposición individual 'Forever and a Day' (Siempre y un día) del artista norteamericano Lawrence Weiner (Nueva York, 1942), que se podrá visitar hasta el 26 octubre. Para crear esta instalación Weiner ha tomado como punto de partida la ubicación geográfica y la historia de la ciudad de Málaga. El artista utiliza símbolos de la mezcla de culturas que se han dado en esta ciudad – la herencia que dejaron fenicios, griegos, romanos y los árabes – al tiempo que reflexiona sobre el sur y las fronteras.

Latitudes está actualmente trabajando con el artista en su próximo proyecto: 'THE CREST OF A WAVE' que se presentará en la Fundació Suñol, Barcelona, el 8 de Octubre y que se podrá visitar hasta el 15 de Noviembre. Más información aquí.

Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Málaga (CAC Málaga)
c/ Alemania s/n 29001, Málaga, España
T: + 34 952 12 00 55
www.cacmalaga.org
prensa@cacmalaga.org

: Update 06.09.08 :
Reseña 'Vecindad con la historia' de Juan Bosco Díaz en el suplemento Babelia de El País, aquí.

[foto: Detalles de 'Cat. #976 (2008)' SOMEWHERE SOMEHOW/FOREVER & A DAY/SOMETHING SOMEWAY/FOREVER & A DAY/SOMETIME SOMEPLACE/FOREVER & A DAY. Materiales: LANGUAGE + THE MATERIALS REFERRED TO. Courtesy of the artist.]

* Gracias a Beatriz Lafuente, Responsable de Comunicación, CAC Málaga. *

Last weekend was a turbulent one for the Barcelona art scene. On Friday 11th the Culture Councillor Joan Manuel Tresserras announced the appointment of a new director for the Centre d'Arte Santa Mònica (CASM): Vicenç Altaió, who modestly describes himself as a 'poet, writer, catalan translator, theatre critic, art critic, opinion generator and cultural agitator' and until then the director of KRTU ("Culture, Research, Technology, Universal"). The trouble was, however, that CASM already had a director: Ferran Barenblit, appointed during the summer in 2002. If you'll excuse the football link, the act was not unlike FC Barcelona's recent appointment of 'the next' head coach Guardiola when Frank Rijkaard was still at the club. Invitations to leave are never easy, political muggings of a cultural institution are even harder to bear. On this occassion the news of this affair has hit the press and blogs with general signs of bewilderment, disappointment and bitterness.

For those not entirely familiar with the Barcelona art landscape, CASM has followed the kunsthalle model with funding from the local government (Generalitat de Catalunya) and occasional sponsors. Under Barenblit's directorship, a series of adjunct local curators (Montse Badia, David G. Torres, Frederic Montornés) and international guest curators (Miguel Von Hafe Pérez, Jacob Fabricius) have produced exhibitions and projects by artists such as Christian Jankowski, Tomás Saraceno, Fernando Sánchez Castillo, Dora García, Maria Eichhorn, Joao Tabarra, Filipa César, Nedko Solakov, Runa Islam, Maria Nordman, Cabelo, Juan López, Peter Liversidge, Carles Congost, Antoni Abad, Francesc Ruiz, Joan Morey, Mike Nelson, Joachim Koester, Toni Matelli, Jill Magid, Ceal Floyer and Jiri Kovanda (see our blog from 20.11.07) amongst many other group shows (Think, Hamsterwheel...). Currently, CASM is one of the institutions invited to participate in 'Lucky Number Seven' Site Santa Fe with a compelling project by Martí Anson.

Manolo Borja-Villel, the recently appointed director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid (see our post 23 December) has declared in El País that, "the fact that the government imposes a project ... at best, as an instrument of propaganda, indicates a regression to dark times" (this and other quotations translated from the Spanish / Catalan). According to El Pais (12 July) during the presentation of the new director, Culture Councillor Tresserras insisted "there are no victims left along the way" and that the centre and the general budget (750,000 Euros/annum) will still exist, but in a new location (still to be discussed with the townhall). He added "Barenblit's programme was interesting, but the centre didn't have the social performance required". Barenblit was not invited to the presentation, and, the promise of the new location not being confirmed, he handed in his resignation. Later Barenblit declared "it is the best moment [to resign], after receiving the compromise that the new centre is under discussions. I'm coinvinced that my departure is the best guarantee that this process takes place; I always said that directors should have an expiry date ... CASM collaborated with many artists and local entities and promoted Catalan art abroad".

There had been rumours for several months (see El Periodico, 18.02,08 or even earlier this month the possible relocation of CASM was discussed with the president of the Visual Artists Association (AAVC), see El País 05.07.08) claiming that CASM was going to be taken over by the Generalitat and would be converted into a center for Catalan culture, speculation that has prompted numerous strongly-worded responses by various art associations (visual artists association, association of museum directors, art gallery associations...). With this shadow looming over CASM, the programme in recent months has sufferred an inevitable slide.

The new CASM director Vicenç Altaió will take his position in January 2009 and turn CASM into what is described in the vaguest of terms as "a multidisciplinary center for art, science, thought and communication". The questions are, what place 'the new CASM' can take on the Barcelona art landscape? Does the city need another venue for diluted cultural programming? What happened to the 'código de buenas prácticas' (code of good practice) that was decided last year by the Ministry of Culture, whereby "made" appointments were to be replaced by an open-application advisory-panel system based on merit? Where else will ambitious new work be produced in the city? In recent years Barcelona has suffered from the abrupt disappearance of art spaces including Sala Metrònom, the 'relocation' of Sala Montcada from the city centre – its now sited at Caixafòrum– and the failure of Espai 13 in Fundació Miró to produce relevant and informed projects. There is sadly little space for experimentation, fertile discussion or risk-taking.

What is most dismaying is the utter control the Barcelona politicians seem to have over publicly funded cultural programmes. There is, it seems, a lack of support and respect for the work of experienced and trained art professionals and as there is always an ominous cloud hanging over institutions or initiatives when a (4-yearly) change of administration takes effect, there is little continuity and plenty of suspicion. Working within such constant bureaucratic insecurity is never productive and it undermines confidence and creativity. Instead cultural programmes should have their own administrative cycles, their own secured funding, their own staff who are independent from state workers and protected from temporary or mileuristas contracts and their own governing board. It should go without saying that directors should be free to foment long-term creative relationships with the local scene as well as with national and international contexts.

Many questions remain unanswered: where will the proposed new Kunsthalle be? Why didn't CASM have an independent administrative and advisoary board to prevent such undemocratic moves and defend the exhibition programme? Who will now steer and programme such a space? And admist this political-cultural debacle, another factor has been unleashed: who will take control over the first Catalan Pavilion at the 2009 Venice Biennial in the Magazzini del Sale? Incidentally, the proposals (open submission until 2 September) for the pavilion will be assessed by a jury of six artists and curators and the decision will be made public on 1 October.

UPDATE 30.07.08:
Ferran Barenblit appointed director of the recently opened Centro Dos de Mayo, Móstoles (Madrid). His proposal was selected amongst 26 candidates by a committee of experts (Rafael Doctor, director of MUSAC, León; Lourdes Fernández, director of ARCO; José Guirao, director of La Casa Encendida, Madrid; Isabel Rosell, general director of Archives, Museums & Libraries of the Comunidad de Madrid and Carlos Urroz, advisor of Fine Arts to the Consejería de Cultura y Turismo de la Comunidad de Madrid). He will take up his new job in September. More here and here (all links in Spanish).

To read responses from different parties around Barcelona's cultural politics, read posts on http://cassantamonica.wordpress.com and on http://www.culturadebase.net (in Spanish and Catalan)

[Photos: Kris Martin, 'The End' (2005) (included in the SantaMòniCA 2007 summer show 'PENSA/PIENSA/THINK' curated by Montse Badia, Ferran Barenblit, Jacob Fabricius and Frederic Montornés) and below Ferran Barenblit (left) with Christian Jankowski talking to Joan Manuel Tresserras (right) in May 2007 during the launch of Jankowski's Living Sculptures]

Latitudes' Max Andrews reviews Alexandra Navratil's (17.06.08 > 20.09.08) show at Àngels Barcelona for Frieze.com

"Navratil’s curious exhibition ... prompts a filmic response throughout – each element, including drawings and two videos, might be read as parts of the same arcane, deconstructed movie production. Yet ..."
http://www.frieze.com/shows/review/alexandra_navratil/

Después de las presentaciones en México, Vigo, Basilea y Sevilla continuamos con la itinerancia del ciclo de film y video 'Una estaca en el lodo, un hoyo en la cinta. El campo expandido del Land Art, 1968-2008'. La próxima proyección será en el Nivell Zero de la Fundació Suñol, Barcelona, el 7 y 8 Julio a las 19.30h.

El ciclo se divide en dos partes: la primera proyección (7 Julio, 1h 38m duración) muestra obras clásicas del Land Art realizadas en los sesenta y setenta (algunas son post-producciones del 2004 y 2005) y la segunda parte (8 Julio, 1h 15m duración) incluye obras contemporaneas producidas en los últimos 6 años. Para más información sobre los films que se proyectan, véase programa (castellano) o la invitación (catalán).

Aforo limitado | 2 € por sesión | Reserva previa: 93 496 10 32

Nivell Zero de la Fundació Suñol
c/ Rosselló 240
08008 – Barcelona
T 93 496 10 32
www.fundaciosunol.org

Programas anteriores y prensa, aquí

El viernes 11 de Julio, a las 11.30am presentaremos el programa en una granja en la Wilheminapolder (véanse fotos), Holanda, como parte de una serie de comisiones artísticas que está llevando a cabo SKOR (la Fundación de arte y espacio público de Amsterdam) en la zona. Para más información (en inglés)

SKOR organiza un autobús desde Amsterdam hacia la Wilheminapolder. El bus saldrá a las 9am desde sus oficinas en Ruysdaelkade 2. Coste transporte: € 10.00 (más evento y comida = € 17.50). Para registrarse escribir a info@cbkzeeland.nl o llamar al: +31 0118-611443. Durante el trayecto se podrá escuchar la banda sonora realizada especialmente para la ocasión por Rutger Zuydervedt, conocido como Machinefabriek.




[Imágenes: Parte frontal invitación a las proyecciones en Fundació Suñol. Abajo, dos fotos de las granjas Hongersdijk en la Wilheminapolder, Holanda]

Curated by Martí Peran and featuring over 70 case-studies/projects, including by artists Banu Cennetoglu (featured in the Walker Art Center's Brave New Worlds–which opens in Mexico City at the end of April), Can Altay, and René Francisco, "Post-it City looks at different overlapping uses of urban territory, focusing on the viewpoints offered by architecture, town planning and the visual arts. [The initiative] seeks to explore the phenomenon ... of the ephemeral cities that infect the everyday city with uncoded, temporary, anonymous uses ..."
Continues at the CCCB, Barcelona, until 25 May 2008.

The news broke on Saturday afternoon that Manuel J. Borja-Villel (Burriana, Castellón, 1957) will be the new Artistic Director of the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (MNCARS), and will start his new job at the end of January 2008. Borja-Villel has been Director of the Museu d'Art Contemporani Barcelona (MACBA) since 1998, and was founding director of the Fundació Tàpies (1990-1998). Despite his appointment not being a shock exactly, the news is important as it is one of the first appointments in Spain to follow the controversial 'Código de buenas prácticas' (Code of good practice) whereby there shouldn't be any more 'al dedo' ('made') appointments. Instead an international call for applications should be held, and was in this case, and appointments be made according to the decision of a selected international committee. And following each candidate's proposals and presentations, and not their political orientation.

That said, the decision to appoint the MACBA director has not been surprising for two reasons. Firstly, a few weeks ago the Spanish newspaper El País [15.11.07] announced Borja-Villel as the favourite for the job, together with a list of the top candidates. How were their names known when the process is supposedly strictly secret? Rightly, there was much discussion in the artistic community [read A-Desk and SalonKritik]. Secondly, the requirements for the job were that candidates should be a 'Spanish or national of a country member of the European Union' (appearing to rule out any Spanish-speaking Latin American candidates, or indeed any other non-European Spanish speaker, and clearly questioning the tip-off that had Dan Cameron shortlisted in the El País article). The candidates were also asked to have 'Excellent level of Spanish' and 'To present, in Spanish or anyone of the co-official languages in the Independent Communities, or English or French, the main lines of the Museum Plan for the Institution'. Spanish, spanish, spanish, we get it. It makes one wonder what will be the requirements for the now vacant MACBA Director job, if they are to follow the 'código de buenas prácticas' with an open call.

One of the first responses to the appointment was from art critic and curator David G. Torres in A-Desk's blog, in which he briefly analysed the pros and cons of the mandate: Borja-Villel has put MACBA on the map – for sure – and has given a direction and coherence to its collection – again, yes – but it has lacked a dialogue with the city of Barcelona and its visitors. According to Catalina Serra [El País, 23.12.07], the catalan arts community (visual artists, gallerists and critics) has already responded by demanding an international open call for the MACBA position, but with more time for the potential applicants to prepare proposals (candidates had a month to make their applications for the MNCARS job). Let's see what happens here; interesting times ahead! The news are however, great for MNCARS, Spain's forever-in-crisis national museum, which has had no leading figure since September 2007, that lacks coherence in its collection, has a so-so programme, but of course holds a precious treasure in world history: Picasso's Guernica.

For more info read MNCARS' Press Release (Spanish) and the announcement in El País (23.12.07)