Book ART Situacions III
Press Clipping
SPAIN, FRANCE
Art Situacions returns with an exhibition at ARCO with works by Spanish and French artists invited to participate by the committee of experts. The works that are part of this emerging art meeting include 10 new works produced for the occasion, as well as different recent pieces by the selected artists. The book written by Chus Martínez and edited by Turner is also presented.
The exhibition—in tribute to the founder of ART Situacions Pilar Forcada—celebrates her support for art and artists, her commitment to cultural forms of dialogue between communities of artists and professionals, as well as an active form of sponsorship that serves as motivation in a difficult time for the artists of the younger generation and the audiences that surround them.
The objective of ART Situacions is to hold several exhibitions in Spain and France over the next two years, with the mission of supporting culture and the participating artists, contributing to the revitalization of the current artistic fabric.
Art as a Moral Obligation
Art does not change the world, but it does help it become a better place. It does not transform our lives, even if it does stimulate our sensibility. It does not eradicate differences, although it is a great leveller in terms of our capacity to be enraptured by beauty. In truth, art belongs to everybody and nobody, to all eras and no era in particular, to those who create it and those who are able to enjoy it. We all need art almost as much as we need air to breathe, because its inspiring power is vital if we are to keep growing as people.
The art world made great strides during the Renaissance — a cultural and humanistic movement that dragged man out of the bleak Middle Ages — by reviving the protective spirit of Ancient Rome. This was possible thanks to the emergence of patrons, i.e. citizens with financial means who would assign a portion of their wealth to the development of the fine arts. Italy was the great epicentre of the Renaissance, and figures such as Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo came to prominence under the tutelage of their patrons. Five hundred years later, these masters continue to enchant us, and they still have a profound influence on our sensibility.
Culture plays a key role in the advancement of society, and the huge leaps in the visual arts, over the last century, cannot be understood without bearing in mind the commitment of the modern-day patrons, those driven by altruism and a sense of social obligation. The Royal Spanish Academy defines “patronage” as “the protection or help afforded to a cultural, artistic or scientific activity”. In any case, a distinction must be made between “sponsorship”, in which the sponsor seeks a particular return on their investment, and “patronage”, which is more about the patron’s generosity and sense of philanthropy.
As a businessman, I have long felt duty-bound to do my bit and help culture flourish. Along with my wife, Pilar Forcada, we sincerely believed in the moral obligation to give back to society some of that which it has given to us. We were always great art lovers, so we thought we could perhaps help raise the profile of some budding young creators. For almost half a century now, we have been building up an eclectic and diverse collection, in which the work of well-known artists sits alongside pieces by rising stars. It has been so gratifying for us to see, with our backing, that a good number of artists have been able to devote themselves exclusively to their art.
This urge to offer patronage is why we launched ART Situacions, a non-profit private organisation that seeks to promote young, contemporary art and take it to a wider audience, with a view to the future. Our passion was simply to support culture and artists, and we hoped to invigorate Spain’s artistic fabric.
Pilar was the soul of ART Situacions: she founded and ran the organisation with extraordinary enthusiasm and dedication. This hard work was reflected in her discovery of talented young artists who have since gone on to become well-known creators. Following the sad loss of Pilar, I have decided to take on the running of the project. This is partly in tribute to her, who began the project, and partly to ensure that her tireless work goes on. It is a challenge for me, but I am proud to continue with the project that my wife led so passionately. It’s a way of honouring her memory, and of affirming our shared passion for the fine arts.
Once again, this year’s selection has been carried out by our illustrious expert committee. Some of them have been with us since the beginning, such as María de Corral and Vicent Todolí. Others have joined us along the way, like Lorena Martínez de Corral and Chus Martínez. With all of them, we share a sense of friendship, and we take great pleasure in beauty. I would like to thank them for their dedication and renewed interest in the project.
We have been truly impressed by the high standard of entries this year. We hope you enjoy the works featured in these pages, and we hope you can come and admire them in person at the different exhibitions we are planning to hold in Spain and France. As Marcel Duchamp said, it’s not the painter but rather the beholder who makes the picture.
I must also express my gratitude to the participating artists, who all have bright futures ahead of them. I would like to thank them for making the world a more beautiful and contemplative place, by means of their art.
Marcel Pascual
ART Situacions Director
Committee of experts:
María de Corral
Lorena Martínez de Corral
Chus Martínez
Vicent Todolí
Direction:
Marcel Pascual
Organization:
HONDA – Greens Power Products, S.L.
Image Gallery
