Small art centers and a community rather than a succession of brilliant figures
Jordi Colomer declared in an interview that “from the outside, Spanish art simply does not exist”. How do you see the artistic panorama in Barcelona?
In effect, it is not a question of preparing local artists for export – it does not work this way anymore. Instead it’s a question of believing in and supporting a stable network of artists politically and institutionally independent enough to link the projects of those who are established in Barcelona with existing platforms overseas. If artists are not seriously supported during their phase of growth by public initiatives, alternative means, small art centers and the formation of commissioners, we will not manage to develop out with Spanish territory.
What positive aspects do you see in this current context?
If you are referring to the artistic panorama in Catalonia, it makes me happy that politicians have not found a successor to Tàpies and Barcelò, great artists and local geniuses. This forces them to look at the art sector from a wider perspective, as a community, not as a succession of brilliant figures.