Reina Sofía Museum's Major Rehang Chronicles Spain's Turbulent Modern History
The Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid has launched a significant three-year rehang of its contemporary art collection, billed as a critical reinterpretation of Spain's rapid socio-political changes over the past five decades. The new exhibition, titled Contemporary Art: 1975 to the Present, occupies the museum's fourth floor and features 403 selected works, with nearly two-thirds never before displayed as part of the permanent collection.
A Symbolic Starting Point
The rehang opens pointedly with Juan Genovés's painting Document No … from 1975, depicting a detained man with shackled wrists, symbolising the repression under Francisco Franco's dictatorship. This year marked Franco's death and Spain's transition to democracy, making Genovés's work a natural entry point for exploring how artists have chronicled and reacted to historical shifts.
Artistic Responses to Societal Changes
Through the curated works, the museum examines diverse themes, including:
- The hedonistic creativity of the post-Franco Movida madrileña underground scene.
- The impact of the Aids epidemic and second-wave feminism.
- Growing environmental awareness and global terrorism.
- Decolonisation and queer activism.
Dark Undercurrents and Personal Loss
The collection also highlights the darker aspects of Spain's transformation. Iván Zulueta's 1979 arthouse horror film Arrebato (Rapture) and Alberto García-Alix's photograph En ausencia de Willy (Willy's Absence) from 1988 reflect the heroin epidemic's toll, with the latter featuring a shirt belonging to García-Alix's brother, who died of an overdose.
Memorialising Epidemics and Dialogue
The Aids epidemic is memorialised in works like Peter Hujar's photographs of mummified bodies and Pepe Miralles's installation Ajuares (Funerary Offerings), which collects everyday objects linked to his friend's illness. According to museum director Manuel Segade, the rehang aims to foster a constant dialogue between past, present, and future, avoiding a single narrative in favour of open, socialised interpretations.
Cultural and Political Reflections
Spain's culture minister, Ernest Urtasun, emphasised the rehang's relevance in reflecting on 1975 as a turning point and broader questions of art and democracy. He noted that contemporary art remains vital in defending democratic values today, much as it did during Spain's transition. The Reina Sofía's initiative seeks to ensure visitors grasp the diversity and discursive potential of Spanish contemporary art, reinforcing its role in shaping societal perspectives.
