IGNASI ABALLÍ, SELECTED ARTIST FOR THE MAS: MEADOWS/ ARCO ARTIST SPOTLIGHT PROGRAMME

The MAS Programme is an initiative created by the ARCO Foundation and the Meadows Museum with the aim of exhibiting and giving visibility to the artwork of Spanish artists in the United States. Under this slogan, the museum will cede its space every two years to exhibit the selected artist for four months and incorporate him or her into its collection. The programme, as announced by both institutions, will last for six years. "Fundación ARCO is very proud to be able to contribute to the international visibility of Spanish artists and hopes to develop this project for a long time and with a growing number of artists," ARCO's director Maribel López.

The collaboration between Fundación ARCO and the Meadows Museum is not arbitrary. In part, it is because the North American museum has one of the most extensive and relevant collections of Spanish artistic production outside Spain. Its holdings range from medieval objects, paintings and sculptures dating from the 10^th  century to the present day. Regarding the importance of the Meadows Museum for the conservation of Spanish art, Elba Benitez, director of the gallery of the same name that represents Aballí, explained: "The inclusion of the work of an artist like Ignasi Aballí in the Meadows collection has a special significance, as the collection opens up to other artistic practices that were born in the 20^th century and that constitute the artistic language of many contemporary creators". Benítez also commented that the gallery has been working with the artist for thirty years to make his oeuvre She added: "It is an achievement to have attracted the attention of the Meadows Museum's trustees. The ARCO Foundation has been able to convey to them the position that his work occupies today within contemporary Spanish production. And they have made a commitment, not only to exhibit his work and incorporate it into the permanent collection, but also to organise a symposium to make it known".

Igansi Aballí's artwork —who will also represent Spain at the 59^th Venice Biennale in 2022— is characterised by the use of multimedia media that question the concepts of transience and permanence, erasing the usual perceptual limits. Commenting on his appointment to the Meadow Museum's collection, Mark A. Roglán, director of the Linda P. and William A. Custard of the Meadows Museum, said: "While Aballí's visual language is widely recognized and praised in his native country, it has had limited visibility in the United States. We are delighted to continue our commitment to bringing Spanish art to the country audiences by introducing his work in the Museum.

Thus, the MAS: Meadows/ ARCO Artist Spotlight programme takes its first decisive step for Spanish contemporary art production. It also sets an example of collaboration between art institutions with the capacity and structure to blur the boundaries of art in terms of a global dialogue which focus is to boost the local scene worldwide.

About Ignasi Aballí: 

Of Bacelonian origin, Ignasi Aballí has positioned himself on the Spanish art scene since the 1990s as one of the most important figures in contemporary art. On two occasions his artwork has been presented at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía and once at the Museu d'Art Contemporàni in Barcelona.

His oeuvre, however, has crossed the Spanish border more than fifteen years ago to be exhibited in private and public institutions all over the world. Among the most prominent are the Today Art Museum (Beijing, China), the Museo de Arte de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia (Bogotá, Colombia) and the Fundaçao Serralves (Oporto, Portugal). He has also participated in the 52^nd  Venice Biennale (2007), as well as the 8^th Sharjah Biennial (United Arab Emirates, 2007), the 11^th Sydney Biennial (1998), the 4^th  Guangzhou Triennial (2012) and the 13^th Cuenca Biennial (Ecuador, 2016). He has recently been selected to represent Spain at the 59^th Venice Biennale.