DARÍO PRIETO
Updated Tuesday, March 5, 2024-22:01
With the title 'Living in art' and thanks to the sponsorship of Endesa and Fundación Santander, EL MUNDO's 'La Lectura' held a meeting this Tuesday at the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports of the Community of Madrid .
which brought together "three capital figures", in the words of the presenter and moderator of the event, the journalist and writer
Antonio Lucas
.
On the one hand, the artist
Luis Gordillo
, whose works currently occupy the ministry's exhibition hall, at Alcalá 31, in the exhibition 'tell me who you are'.
Along with him, the gallerist
Elvira González
, a pioneer of the sector in Spain.
And, finally, the artist, collector and composer
José María Cano
.
The three have talked about art and its derivatives in the run-up to the opening of ARCOmadrid, the most important art fair in our country, inaugurated this Wednesday by the Kings of Spain.
Among those attending the event, a representation of the world of culture and the media: the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Sports,
Mariano de Paco
;
the director of this newspaper,
Joaquín Manso
, and the deputy director,
Vicente Ruiz
;
the director of the Santander Foundation,
Borja Baselga
;
the bullfighter
José Tomás
; the businesswomen and writers
Paloma Segrelles
Jr.
and
Elena Cué
;
the director of Matadero Madrid,
José Luis Romo
;
and the journalists
Juan Carlos Laviana
and
Iñaki Gil
.
Borja Baselga, director of the Santander Foundation.A.
SAY LOLLI
Lucas explained that the meeting is included in a "very ambitious program of events on the occasion of the
35th anniversary of the founding of the newspaper
", which aim to "create spaces for meeting and dialogue where culture becomes, and already is, "in one of the axes of the newspaper, of future readers and of civil society."
In that sense, the three participants in the meeting of the cultural supplement of EL MUNDO represent those coordinates.
Thus, Gordillo is "one of the artists, one could say main, but it would be better to talk about necessary" in our country, in the words of the moderator.
"One of those men without manifestos or flags has established himself as a fundamental figure."
For her part,
"you cannot understand the art of this country without going through Elvira González"
, who "actively participated so that Spain established itself with a voice in the international arena" and who has converted the gallery that bears her name in "one of the reference points of Madrid."
Finally, José María Cano, "in addition to being a musician and composer of the most important band in Spanish pop," is "a painter and one of the most amazing appetites for art I have ever met," Lucas stressed, as well as an "early collector." activity created with a "sediment of work", in addition to "his excellent plastic work."
José Tomás with José María Cano.Alberto Di LolliMUNDO
Gordillo, whose titles "always have a fortunately unbalanced point," Lucas stressed, explained, regarding his exhibition - which remains open until this coming Sunday, after having been extended -, that "sometimes strange, difficult and impossible things "They have a special charm."
Things that the Sevillian artist - about to turn 90 - cannot explain "and that are full of value and existentiality."
Despite being at an age in which he is waiting for farewell - "it's like I'm leaving" -, Gordillo proclaimed: "I'm still going."
And he explained: "This is an age when he could think: 'This guy is tired and it's time to quit.'
And yet, I have been working quite enthusiastically these years.
I broke my femur this summer, which is a hateful thing to do.
And I was afraid that these diseases might destroy my painting.
But I realized that things were still going.
I have continued painting.
And the results, what is coming out, are not bad.
So I have the impression that I am going to continue
.
Another veteran like Elvira González reviewed her career, crossed by moments such as the attack she suffered at the hands of the Guerrilleros de Cristo Rey group on the occasion of the exhibition of some works by Picasso.
“She is a kind of walk,” she summarized.
«What you need is a lot of faith, a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of patience.
And we were well served by that
.
I came from the world of dance.
But I married an artist and he had so much enthusiasm that I started to work.
A world that, as he explained, "was difficult, but it was easy," in the sense that "every time you start a year you start again," but also "you convince artists when they see you with enthusiasm and sincerity." », plus with a little luck.
Her will led her to request works by Rodin or Bacon with a poise that led her to be called crazy.
"You have to be a little crazy to really do something," she proclaimed.
"It is a miracle.
But everything with art is a miracle: that the artist trusts you, that he supports you... I have owed money to artists.
To Chillida, for example.
And collecting is also very important.
And I carry many of them in my heart.
Some have made a lot of money.
And I'm very happy."
But the most important thing is something else: «In art you have to believe.
If you believe in art and you believe in your judgment, that is the key.
José Maria Cano spoke in a similar sense, who recalled that he began collecting when he began to earn a little money with his group Mecano - "although the first three years in music I still had to work with my father" - and that he did "buying in an inevitable way", with a very personal relationship with the artist.
«
Speculation was very far away.
It was another sport, more beautiful, more exclusive.
Furthermore, there was an absolute and total lack of knowledge of foreign contemporary art, which was happening outside, but here in Spain there was a beautiful enthusiasm that took a while to catch on.
I was the only one who was buying paintings by Warhol, Basquiat, Bacon, Louise Bourgeois.... But I don't have a collector's mentality.
The collector, and he is very commendable, likes to show off his collection.
"Despite being very talkative, I am an introspective person."
The three praised
ARCOmadrid
from their different perspectives.
Gordillo described it as “basically Spanish value” and applauded the proliferation of Spanish galleries.
«I feel that the situation has changed at the market level, in this sense.
Even if the market is not brilliant, something must happen.
Because people don't dedicate themselves to something that is a failure.
He also highlighted its inspirational value: «I am interested and have a lot of fun seeing new things.
See how that artist is doing, if he changes or not.
It's fabulous entertainment, on a serious level.
It's a job: how my friends and colleagues are doing.
"I'm interested in how art is going, ultimately."
González elaborated: «ARCO opened a vision that galleries could be visited, it got people used to going to them.
Now the galleries want to come.
Cano also warned about the dysfunctions of the market: «At this moment, I see this difficult to ignore effervescence in the art world as very questionable, which may even be over the top.
The oversize of the commercial world with respect to the soul of contemporary art makes it a commodity like no other.
But as art stops happening, the step will be to sell patents, which is what people do now: A work and they repeat it until exhaustion. Thus, he emphasized:
"Contemporary art is becoming an imposture.
And that sooner or later is paid.
Art remained supported by spirituality, until Kandinsky.
Then he pursued provocation as entertainment.
But now everyone plays Monopoly.