The Horizons of Contemporary Art in Spain is a research initiative by Museo Reina Sofía, Fundación Banco Santander and YGBArt (Rosina Gómez-Baeza and Lucia Ybarra). Conceived as a plural space for reflection and debate, its purpose is to engage in a critical diagnosis of the Spanish art scene, viewed from a variety of standpoints and bringing together many different voices.
Defying the paralysing and disaggregating effects of the current situation of uncertainty, this platform seeks to heighten the visibility of the achievements and values generated over the last two decades in Spanish art, and to identify the practices and attitudes that prevent development of its full potential. Its final aim is to draw up action proposals suited to the challenges currently faced in the field of contemporary art and culture.
This study will take place throughout 2012 and 2013. It entails the organization of a symposium and a subsequent publication intended to analyse the internal and external factors affecting Spanish contemporary art over the last twenty years, in order to determine why Spanish art does not have the desired international presence.
Prior to this symposium, four working groups, formed by specialists in Spanish contemporary art, will observe the behaviour of Spanish artistic production abroad, how it is received and how it is assessed. Also, several associations have been invited to participate in a panel in which they will present the strategies they use to support their collectives. The conclusions of these working groups and associations will provide insight and help select the primary topics of this Symposium, which will take place in May of 2013. They will also be presented in a session open to the public on 20 November at Museo Reina Sofía.