Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Postcard from... Madrid

 

Alasdair Fotheringham
Tuesday 08 January 2013 06:58 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Art fans in Spain are in luck. In a couple of weeks, arguably the most comprehensive assembly of Latin American art – the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros – will be arriving in Europe for the first time, with some of its best modern works appearing at an exhibition in Madrid's Reina Sofia museum.

Some of the works coming to Spain include examples by artists as radically contrasting as Mira Schendel – a Brazilian known for her minimalist and often monochrome paintings – and the Argentinian designer Tomás Maldonado – renowned for bright, bold canvases.

The collection is named after Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, wife of one of South America's richest men, Gustavo Cisneros. The media magnate, who runs the Miss Venezuela contest as well as owning entertainment companies, conceived their Cisneros Foundation in the 1970s.

This exhibition will concentrate principally on the period from 1940 to 1970. It was during these three decades that, stylistically speaking, Latin American abstract and figurative artists began to branch away with a vengeance from their European and North American contemporaries.

"I want Spain to get to know Latin American art a lot better, demolish some of the clichés," Mrs Cisneros explained. It's a welcome partnership with the Reina Sofia, which has been placing increasing emphasis on Latin America's contribution to modern art under its director, Manuel Borja-Villel. "The Cisneros collection will allow us to understand that there is another version of the history of 20th-century art," he said.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in