Home / Arts and Entertainment / Reina Sofía's Bold Rehang: Art Meets Societal Change
Reina Sofía's Bold Rehang: Art Meets Societal Change
17 Feb
Summary
- Museum rehang critically reinterprets 50 years of art.
- Artists chronicle Spain's transition from dictatorship.
- New collection features Spanish and international works.
The Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid has launched a three-year rehang of its collection, presenting a critical reinterpretation of contemporary art from 1975 to the present.
This reorganisation features 403 works by artists from Spain and internationally, examining their reactions to socio-historical changes over the past five decades. The collection begins with Juan Genovés's 1975 painting, symbolizing the end of Franco's dictatorship and the dawn of democracy.
Curators aim to contextualize artistic practices within Spain's evolving social, political, and cultural landscape. The exhibition includes works addressing the transition to democracy, the Aids epidemic, feminism, and environmental awareness.
Alongside Spanish artists, the rehang showcases international figures like Nan Goldin and Robert Mapplethorpe, highlighting a dialogue between national and global art scenes.
Artistic expressions range from documenting Spain's first gay pride march to exploring the darker aspects of the post-Franco Movida madrileña scene and its impact.
Manuel Segade, the museum's director, emphasized the goal of fostering a dialogue between past, present, and future, ensuring the collections remain open to revision.
Culture minister Ernest Urtasun noted the rehang's relevance in reflecting on 1975 as a turning point and in understanding art's contemporary role in defending democratic values.
