The future of the Patio Herreriano Museum has the contemporary art sector frankly concerned This is stated by Juan Luis Álvarez the president of the Association.
Directors of Contemporary Art in Spain Adace who this week issued a letter of energetic rejection of a situation that they consider affects the credibility of our cultural institutions
And the Union of Contemporary Artists of Spain AC Union has been calling for it for weeks which first published a statement in which it denounced the political interference of the City Council in the Valladolid
institution and recently brought together several dozen academics professionals and artists including national awards such as Carmen Calvo Rafael Canogar and Luis Gordillo to sign a manifesto in which they emphasize their rejection of such practices which call into question the work of cultural professionals
The reason for the protests This October 24 an exhibition by Cristóbal Gabarrón Mula 75 years old an international artist who has produced works for the Seville Expo the Olympic Games and the Madrid Retreat is scheduled to open at the contemporary art center
Despite its scarce presence in relevant collections and the doubts that professional critics have expressed regarding the quality of its work The proposal is framed in the celebration
The 75th anniversary of the UN an institution with which Gabarrón has collaborated on previous occasions and will be accompanied by another exhibition of photographs that abound on the theme of sustainable development goals
Since it was not planned as part of the museums programming this display of paintings and sculptures which will occupy the ground floor of the Patio Herreriano and a nearby square that of San
Pablo will force the current exhibition dedicated to close several weeks in advance concept artist Eva Lootzwhich should be kept until November 8 another National award that has joined the complaints from the sector
In his ambitious proposal developed in collaboration with the National Sculpture Museum Lootz addresses in this exhibition the theme of the debates of the Valladolid Controversy a meeting that was organized in 15501551 to agree on how to proceed with the indigenous people from overseas territories It does so as Javier
Hontoria the museum director defends with a rigor that makes us think that it contributes a lot That responsible reading of history says the manager
who underlines that Gabarróns new exhibition will also disrupt the celebration of future appointments as well as his public programs would in itself have represented a more than appropriate vindication of the values of the UN
Endorsed by both the Valladolid City Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the request of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for IberoAmerica and the Caribbean Gabarróns
exhibition as well as the exhibition of photographs is going to be imposed in this way in Against the criteria of the director of the municipal museum subject to the statutes of the Municipal Foundation of Culture of Valladolid which guarantee their autonomy
Although Hontoria claims to have tried to dialogue with the City Council and offered alternatives that would include not making use of the space in the Patio Herreriano the plan to carry out the Gabarrón exhibition is still ongoing
I understand that there may be a legitimate interest on the part of the council but this leads to interfering with a program that was measured and very tied laments the director who claims as fundamental that the programs of the artistic managers of the
institutions In his writing Adace denounces that the interference in the directors program demolishes the important work carried out in favor of contemporary Spanish art and adds that political interference is incompatible with the defense of the public
The consistory has refused to make statements to EL PAÍS although both the mayor of Valladolid Óscar Puente PSOE and the Councilor for Culture Ana Redondo have defended the celebration of these samples when required by local media
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds in writing that the decision to organize an exhibition of the artist Cristóbal Gabarrón in Valladolid is part of an agreement between the Valladolid City Council and the Gabarrón Foundation and that the ministry which is coordinating all a series of activities destined to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the
UN in different cities of Spain it decided to collaborate with the initiative in order to reaffirm Spains commitment to the United Nations and to bring this organization closer to the citizens.
