The impressions are contradictory. It seems that the Catalan art scene is moving between euphoria and precariousness. This spring in Barcelona has been a clear example: two fairs (Loop and Swab) accompanied by their respective parallel programs, Off section and round tables; to which other events of great attendance have been added such as Primavera Sound. It seems that many things happen, but it is not so clear that much content, context or artistic fabric is generated.
A few weeks ago, and in response to a pre-electoral debate held at the A*DESK headquarters and which brought together cultural representatives of the different political parties, the GIC (Associació de Galeries Independents de Catalunya) sent a letter to all the media in which they prepared the following diagnosis: “the politicians are not aware of the precariousness of the artistic sector, at “casa nostra” and they live in a construction of the reality that exists in the light of the abandoned situation in which all the levels of contemporary creation are found in such a cutting-edge and modern city that pretends to be Barcelona.
We are assisting in the dismantling of the basic structures for the functioning of the sector and the worst of this situation is, which has arisen due to the lack of interest of institutions, local and national. In fact, Barcelona had exhibition spaces that were benchmarks at the European level. The loss of the Sala Montcada of the Fundació “la Caixa” is about to begin a trial that does not pay off. The insurmountable darrer seems to be the Canòdrom, both director and program approved but without building finish and without consensus between Generalitat and Ajuntament to put it in Marx. Between me, all museums and foundations have seen their activities reduced and programming has not been respected. And the one who sees a limiting situation is seen to be exacerbated by the flight of talent, also at all levels.”
What possibilities does an artist have when he completes the Sant Andreu- Can Felipa – Sala d’Art Jove emerging circuit? What happens to a curator when he has already curated the corresponding cycles of exhibitions and calls? What stability can associations and other initiatives have that develop their activities with the uncertainty of whether they will be able to carry them out next year, in addition to spending many hours justifying very limited and ineffective financial aid?
Someone commented after visiting the exhibition “The Question of the Paradigm. Genealogies of Emergency in Contemporary Art in Catalonia” at the Centre d’Art La Panera, which, while it is true that it shows the dynamism of artists, curators and other agents of the art scene in recent years, also portrays a worrying precariousness in which initiatives are always due to people rather than to solid structures. The critical perspective of the exhibition shows that we are far from the American myth of “those guys who started in a garage” and now run Apple. Unfortunately, the most common thing here is that they continue in the garage or, frustrated, dedicate themselves to something else.
[Article published in Bonart, 2011]
