Sometimes, when we meet the players responsible for contemporary art galleries on the Iberian Peninsula, we limit ourselves to urban centres, such as Lisbon, Porto, Madrid or Barcelona. This can replicate old vices, sing the same old songs and privilege faces (and canvases) that have long been known to audiences. ARCO, a contemporary art fair for over 30 years in Spain and 5 in Portugal, which has been promoting research as a springboard for new galleries, also suffers from some Manichaeism tendencies when it comes to deciding the names that fill its white-walled labyrinth.
A few weeks ago, I visited Andalusia, an autonomous region in southern Spain, populated since the Phoenicians. With Arab occupation for eight centuries and a caliphate later reconquered by Catholic kings in the 16th century. The region is a great melting pot of cultural influences, which to this day stands out for the genius of its artists who use these differences in their creations.
Let’s meet (or recognise) five contemporary art galleries in Andalusia to visit this September and perhaps take advantage of the Andalusian heat, which remains fierce even after the end of summer.
Seville, the region’s administrative capital, strengthened its presence on the contemporary circuit at the end of the 1980s in the face of Madrid’s suspicion, flourished and confirmed its position as a player in the Spanish context. One of the agents responsible was Galeria Rafael Ortiz, the name of its director and founder, which for 38 years has represented notable figures such as Patrício Cabrera, José María Báez and the Portuguese Dalila Gonçalves. On September 20, the Gallery will open the second solo exhibition of Mexican artist Graciela Iturbide, internationally recognised for her photographs that reveal the power of female figures in patriarchal Mexico. By addressing the haunting of everyday life and atavistic customs, she seeks the middle point between death and life in a contemporary vision. The Gallery also develops activities in the publishing field, producing artists’ volumes for Editorial Los Sentidos, whose aim is to be a support project for the understanding of contemporary art by the general public.
Address: C. Mármoles, 12, 41004 Seville, Spain
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 1.30 pm, 6 pm to 9 pm
Also in the Andalusian capital, the Alarcón Criado gallery represents high-quality artists. Cristína Mejías, François Bucher, Jorge Yeregui or José Guerrero are among the artists from the gallery founded in 2002. With the aim of being a focal point for contemporary art, Alarcón Criado insists on respecting the initial motivation: to be a ventana for emerging and experimental art shows, with roots in international art fairs.
In the spring of this year, it organised the exhibition SCIENCE FICTIONS – el trauma como portal, by François Bucher, where the act of incorporating the poetic side of digital fiction as a collective trauma of current society was collectively discussed, housing the conceptual devices of the ‘‘reflex’’ mechanisms.
On October 10, the exhibition of the artist Cristína Mejías will open, she who is in several international collections. A must-see.
Address: C. Velarde, 9, 41001 Seville, Spain
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10 am to 2 pm
MECA – Mediterranean Arts Centre
Almería is a Mediterranean parish on the Andalusian coast. With its poignant nature and crystal clear waters, the city has all the earmarks of a destination for warm leisure in the Spanish south. Among its ochre walls, it boasts a pearl of contemporary art. MECA – Mediterranean Arts Centre is a project aiming to promote emerging projects, as well as educational processes for the dissemination of contemporary art. They also collaborate to develop projects at an international level with artists from all over the world, as well as offering consultancy services and organising external exhibitions. In July this year, they promoted the solo exhibition COLORS by the Taiwanese artist Ming Yi Chou. Through the scientific and empirical study of colour theory, he attempts to find the parallel between the macro and microscopic of infinity. The September programme (at the time of writing) has not yet been released. But stay tuned.
Address: C. Navarro Darax, 11, 04003 Almería, Spain
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm
Málaga is the Andalusian district with the most museums and galleries per square metre. The epicentre of this great art vortex is in the eponymous capital, with over thirty museums in the city centre alone, including the renowned Museu Carmen Thyssen and its renowned collection. But, in contemporary art, the province where Pablo Picasso was born has lost prominence over the years, given the rise of the Marbella district. Galería Isolina Arbulu is one of several gusts of fresh air in the country. To spread and promote Castilian art, the gallery is one of those that most values boldness in art. As well as being in prestigious international fairs, they frequently organise high-quality exhibitions and large-scale installations. Among the many artists they represent, we highlight Angélica Arbulú, Magdalena Correa, Lola Guerrero and Javier Erre, the latter of whom will have a solo exhibition later this month.
Address: Urb. Cortijo de Nagüeles 88D. 29602 Marbella, Málaga. Spain
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 9 am to 2.30 pm
Also in Marbella, Galeria Yusto/Giner, founded in mid-2012, has the same editorial line and stands out as a place dedicated to innovations. The venue is in the city’s industrial district, allowing the gallery the privilege of exhibiting colossal pieces. The portfolio of artists includes names such as Imon Boy, Julio Anaya Cabanding, Victoria Maldonado and Daniel Nuñez, who has just debuted a solo project at ARTESANTANDER 2022.
On 16 September will open the exhibition, El Libro de las Aves by artist Manuel León.
Address: Pol. Ind. La Ermita, Calle Madera, 9, 29603 Marbella, Málaga, Spain
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10 am to 7 pm
BONUS TRACK: If the reader’s visit to Andalusia includes Granada, go beyond Alhambra and visit Centro José Guerrero, which has an exhibition on the celebrated Spanish cartoonist Andrés Rabago.
