SOTO, NEGRET AND CHIRINO LEAD THE REOPENING OF THE REINA SOFÍA TERRACES AS AN EXHIBITION SPACE

By Álvaro de Benito

The terraces of the Nouvel Building at the Reina Sofía Museum are being transformed into a new exhibition space. Under the title A Different Order: Utopian Geometry and Kinetic Art, the space will showcase two sculptural works by Jesús Rafael Soto and Edgar Negret, along with a third piece by Martín Chirino.

SOTO, NEGRET AND CHIRINO LEAD THE REOPENING OF THE REINA SOFÍA TERRACES AS AN EXHIBITION SPACE

Jesús Rafael Soto’s Penetrable (1982), one of the key works from his essential 1960s series, exemplifies his interactive approach to sculpture. The piece consists of a space defined by hanging, movable elements that visitors must walk through to fully experience the work. Soto himself described these installations not as mere sculptures, but as "an idea of space that can be materialized in any situation and at any scale."

 

Edgar Negret’s Vigilante rojo (1979) returns to the Reina Sofía after a decade on temporary loan in Luxembourg. Recently restored by the museum, this work exemplifies Negret’s concept of “sculpture-action.” The piece exposes its bolts and nuts, emphasizing the mechanics of its assembly. It belongs to his renowned Los vigilantes series, one of the most iconic of his career.

Completing this trio of works is Mediterránea (1971) by Martín Chirino. Part of his Mediterráneas series, this piece presents an expansive, open structure that conveys a subtle sense of movement, aligning with the visual principles of kinetic art.

 

These three sculptures, all part of the museum’s collection, highlight the impact of geometric sculpture in the 1960s and 1970s on public space design. Moreover, they introduce a new curatorial approach within the museum, emphasizing minimalism and geometric forms as tools for fostering a more interactive relationship between art and viewers. With this exhibition, the museum launches a broader reorganization of its Permanent Collection, a process set to be completed by 2028.

 

A Different Order: Utopian Geometry and Kinetic Art opens to the public on April 2 as part of the Museo Reina Sofía’s Permanent Collection at the Nouvel Building, Ronda de Atocha, 2, Madrid, Spain.

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