Madrid to launch new contemporary art season with Apertura Weekend Madrid to launch new contemporary art season with Apertura Weekend

Madrid is set to launch its new contemporary art season with the latest edition of Apertura Weekend this month.

First launched in 2009, Apertura Weekend sees more than 50 galleries simultaneously open their latest exhibitions. Best of all, the launch weekend (11-14 September) will see these galleries operating extended opening hours so you can soak up as much as you can over the course of four days.

Hosted by Arte Madrid (Association of Modern and Contemporary Art Galleries of Madrid), the 55 galleries taking part are spread across seven districts – Centro, Salesas, Chamberí, Letras, Salamanca, Lavapiés and Carabanchel – with 11 group exhibitions and 45 solo exhibitions set to open.

The highlights include two parallel exhibitions from photographers Manuel Álvarez Bravo and Juan Manuel Castro Prieto at Blanca Berlín; Luis Gordillo in friendly company, which brings together different generations of abstract artists at carlier | gebauer; and The Bolivarian Dream: Prelude I & II, which traces the route taken by Simón Bolívar during his independence campaign between 1815 and 1825 at FORMATOCOMODO. The Museo Lázaro Galdiano will also open an exhibition of 14 sculptures in its historic garden.

As part of the programme, the ARCO Foundation will be organising guided tours of the city’s art galleries, with ARCO GalleryWalks taking place between 17-20 and 24-27 September. Plus, two bookstores – Laie and Le Central de Callao – will be selling a special selection of books about art during the month of September.

You can find out more information about Apertura Weekend on the Arte Madrid website.

Last year’s edition saw more than 24,000 visit the 52 galleries taking part over the weekend, with total visitor numbers exceeding 60,000 over the month.

This year, Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend has teamed up with Barcelona and Valencia to host their events over consecutive weekends in September, with Barcelona’s taking place 18-21 September.

More information: artemadrid.com

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