Karmelo Bermejo
Karmelo Bermejo (Málaga, Spain, 1979) is the “enfant terrible” of Spanish art. Lives and works between Madrid and Bilbao. Karmelo Bermejo has been awarded with several prizes for the last five years and has participated in collective exhibitions together with names such as Sarah Lucas or Paul McCarthy. Booked. On a working day all the tickets for the 7:00 am coach from Madrid to Bilbao were purchased with public money so that the bus could complete its route empty, 2007 belongs to a series of pieces where public funds are wasted for apparently absurd ends.
Fernando del Cubo
Fernando del Cubo (Madrid, Spain, 1967). Cubo has been a familiar figure in the alternative art venues of Spain since 1989. His work deals with social notions of pretentiousness and falseness, researches into the social gauges imposed by culture through the mass media. Misery Flea Market, 2007, plays with the concept of artistic identity while mocking around with the city’s improvised illegal markets of cultural piracy. Other Spanish artists’ real works are base for the fake pieces at the supposed sale.
Josechu Dávila
Josechu Dávila (Madrid, Spain, 1966). His work of a defined conceptual character, deals with the concept of negation. Through different techniques of removal, cancellation or redundancy, the works often questions its own physicality and saleability. A project to spread the word of an anonymous woman in…, 2009 presented in this exhibition consists of a long period project that does exactly what its title describes in different places and through different installations. The piece has already been shown, and the message spread in Madrid, New York, Miami, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Berlin and the Venice Biennale.
Hisae Ikenaga
Hisae Ikenaga (México DF, México, 1977). The Madrid-based artist exhibits her work at Spain, France, México, Japan and U.S.A. She received the Generación 2008 prize, an award of utmost relevance in Spain’s contemporary art’s newcomers. At a distance Nº2, 2009, mimics an actual IKEA’s furniture guide, modified so that by the use of four specific IKEA chairs, one can build (and own) the artist’s piece, the guides are given for free. An example of the piece is presented at the exhibition space to give physicality to the witty commentary.
La Más Bella
La Más Bella (Pepe Murciego, Diego Ortiz) (Madrid, Spain, started at 1993). La Más Bella is a project for reflection, action and experimentation in modern art publishing that promotes and carries out artistic projects specifically conceived to be published through alternative channels to the conventional world of publishing. Bolabellamátic, 2008, is a sphere shaped street vending machine (an ordinary object in Madrid) that sells little plastic objects, usually toys, inside plastic capsules. These little objects have been removed and replaced by original pieces created for this show by the artists, and are sold during the show for the price of the equivalent to one euro.
Mateo Maté
Mateo Maté (Madrid, Spain, 1964). He is one of the most international and prominent artists in Spain today and whose works are included in some of the most important art collections of the world such as the Reína Sofía Museum of Modern Art (MNCARS).
Avelino Sala
Avelino Sala (Gijón, Spain, 1972). This multidisciplinary artist is engaged within an autobiographical research, that comments on the contradictions that are inherent to the artist’s role in the contemporary capitalist society. His work is a reflection of art in a double sense. Avelino Sala has exhibit extensively throughout the world and has participated in international events such as the Venice Biennale.
Daniel Silvo
Daniel Silvo (Cádiz, Spain, 1982), has studied under teachers such as Katherina Sieverding, Maria Vedder and Jannis Kounellis. He has participated in international events like DiVa (NY), Dfoto (San Sebastian, Spain), ARCO (Madrid) and Frieze Art Fair (London). Four ways to bend your money, 2009, plays with the double meaning of “doblar” (Spanish), which means to fold or to double. He makes origami with bank notes, which in turn raises the value of them.
