Visual arts
In 2004 the Fundación Marcelino Botín opened its new Exhibition Venue on the Marcelino Sánz de Sautuola Street (better located and larger than its previous venue and equipped with sophisticated technical facilities) and appointed Alfonso Pérez Sánchez, Vicente Todolí and Mª José Salazar as members of its Art Advisory Committee to define the policy to be followed in this field –namely, research, training and divulgation– together with a plan of action for each of these areas.
Accordingly, Professor Pérez Sánchez has championed research into the work by Spanish masters, from the 16th century to the present day, in the genre of drawing. The project aims to research and collect the complete drawings by selected artists, thus producing a catalogue raissoné of their oeuvre. The outcome is a high quality and groundbreaking –in the field of Spanish History of Art– collection of publications. Already published are volumes about Eduardo Rosales (1836-1873) and Antonio del Castillo (1616-1668). Forthcoming titles will include Alonso Cano (1601-1667) and Pablo Gargallo (1881-1934).
The training policy is aimed at artists and art professionals (via grants and workshops), and at the public (via exhibitions, catalogues, pamphlets, complementary exhibition activities, etc.).
The Visual Arts Grants were created in 1993 to facilitate training, research and to fund the making of new works. In an effort to ensure its independence, and the variety and plurality of the awardees, the jury changes each year.
The Arts Administration and Curatorial Studies Grant, which provides funds for candidates to further their studies abroad, and is open to Spanish citizens and Spanish residents, was awarded for the first time in 2005.
The Visual Arts Workshops were set in motion at the Villa Iris in 1994 as a complement to academic education and the development of projects.
Exhibitions are the channel used to divulge the work being carried out in training (Grants and Workshops) and research (Drawing by Spanish artists). The Visual Arts scheme is completed with exhibitions that aim to further increase our knowledge about the work of established artists, already part of the History of Art. For the most part the Foundation produces these exhibitions by itself, but when the production is a joint effort it is invariably associated with the visual arts department’s objectives and work.
The Art Collection of the Fundación Marcelino Botín reflects its evolution over 40 years and the different approaches that have left their imprint on its activities. Since 1993, the Collection has grown year by year; it specializes in contemporary art and eloquently displays the history of the training work being carried out by the visual arts department. The Collection features works by the directors of the workshops, who are well-established artists with extensive experience and a generous, didactic vocation; and works by the artists who have been awardees of the Foundation’s Visual Arts Grants, with their wide range of individual approaches and explorations. All in all, it offers a genuine reflection of current art.
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