YEAR: 2007

 Reflexión Estética is a joint project between the hip hop artist Dano and the plastic artist Avelino Sala. It is a reflection on the world of contemporary art in the shape of a hip hop song – an association of two realities that coexist in the city-. The discourse is based on certain truths about the art establishment. The lyrics were written by both artists and Dano subsequently added the music. The structure of the song follows a classic hip hop theme. The lyrics are: Reflexión Estética¿Qué es el arte? ¿Alma e inspiración fluyendo por un río……en el jardín de un rico que parte y reparte?¿Y para el artista “(h)el-arte” es morirse de frío……y a veces de hambre?Pero espera, ¿qué es “artista”? ¿Lo sabes? Por supuesto…Cualquiera crea un “-ismo” de sí mismo y ya te ha expuesto,y se esconde tras su puesto para obviar lo pre-supuesto,dime qué queda de tu arte si le quito el presupuesto…Nada… No dispara tu Minolta,concepto negativo, sin luz, “gris” como Travolta…A la cola como miles de patéticos serviles,de esos mercenarios viles seudo-artistas son escoltas…Su alma por un precio módico;“revelación” por felación a crítico en periódico,y dime ¿duermes tranquilo? ¿Es puro el aire que respiras?Si eres reo de un museo que comercia con mentiras…

“Menos es más”, lo dijo Van Der Rohey no vemos la paz, el oro les corroey yo vengo de atrás a mantener la guardia;ricos neo-rebeldes no equivalen a vanguardias…Citas innecesarias, aluden a lo sacropara hacer de la nada un macro, es un simulacrode un mundo en tonos ocres: ¿”político de turnoe intelectual mediocre”? No me trago ese teatro…Fotos, fiestas y cócteles, ¿y tú crees que el importe lesimporta lo más mínimo si mínimo caen dos de tres?Vamos, haz las cuentas, socio,y dime si montar una bienal no es un negocio…Vampiros del sentido, actúan en sinestesia;al bolsillo por el ojo solo con “arte-anestesia”y la galería es su iglesia... Preguntas ¿por qué siguen?Si las putas que ahí exponen lloran, tragan y sonríen…

Dano… Avelino Sala… ¿Esto es Arte o no es Arte?

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AVELINO SALA GIJÓN, 1972 LIVES AND WORKS BETWEEN MADRID, GIJÓN WWW.AVELINOSALA.COM

DANOBUENOS AIRES, 1985 LIVES AND WORKS IN MADRID WWW.ZIONTIFIK.COM

WORK EXPOSED IN MADRID ABIERTO: REFLEXIÓN ESTÉTICA

AVELINO SALAAfter graduating in Critical Contemporary Fine Art Practice and Visual Practice at the University of Brighton (Great Britain), Sala furthered his education in a large number of centres. He works across a widespread area covering the most various media of contemporary creation and dissemination. These include founding and co-editing the magazine Sublime. In parallel, he has shown his work in several solo and group exhibitions.

His focus shifts across a wide yet intense and fertile territory, defined by a conceptualisation of the eminently autobiographical as a reflection on the contradictions inherent to the artist's role in contemporary society, an issue he explores in his installations.

Avelino Sala co-opts the plethora of meanings of the word Socorro (help in English) to construct a narrative running through an installation based on the specific and immediate interpretations of the word by the inhabitants of the coastal town of Luanco. It then gradually opens up to a wider and more nuanced slew of applications connecting with the crisis and transformation of the fishing industry, the no less topical restructuring of the neighbouring metallurgic giant, and the alteration taking place in all areas of life (tourism, the service sector or the real estate and construction boom).

For the artist, the necessary awareness in relation to the state of unrest and confusing hopelessness requires a return to roots, a recovery of the distinctive signs he finds in handmade and manufactured products to reflect the kind of collective spirituality whose original focus is the image of the Cristo del Socorro [Christ of Succour], the object of local devotion which fishermen from Luanco pray to for protection in the seafaring work. Local tradition believes in the concession of this grace in hard times.

The requested and granted succour is rendered through the traditional nets, models, the perennial light, calling attention to the abandonment and shipwreck of many of the signs that used to single out Luanco from other coastal towns in Asturias.

 EDUCATION2001·    BA (Hons Degree) in Critical Art Practice from Brighton University, England

PROJECTS2006·    Monographic within the project Feedback y La Otra on Telemadrid

2004·    Co-founded the independent art space Subliminal Projects in Gijón

2002·    Founded and, since then, directs the magazine Sublime, arte + cultura contemporánea www.sublimeart.net·    Collaborates with various magazines and organisations towards disseminating current art.  ·    Has published monographics and critics in Sublime, ARCO especial, Contemporary, AlHarafish, AlPanPAm, Zehar, Las Políticas del Arte, w3art.es, www.sublimeart.net, and texts in the catalogues of various artists. Currently collaborates with the magazine CityScapes, Valencia.·    Has co-ordinated the Arte Joven Europeo forums held in Zaragoza and magazine events within the Interzonas (2006) context. Has also participated in the ARCO'06 debate tables and has given conferences and chats in several universities, namely, the University of Oviedo, Brighton, Navarra, the Cervantes Institute in Stockholm and the Stockholm WIP.

GRANTS AND AWARDS2007·    Artport International Award video, Basel, Switzerland. Unesco and the New York Foundation for the Arts, New York, USA·    Young Exhibition Organisers Competition (together with José Luis Corazón), Opere Murarie, Rome, Italy

2006·    Honorary mention, 19th Ibiza Biennale, Spain·    Support grant. Municipal Culture Foundation of Gijón, Spain

2005·    Grant from Bilbao Arte Fundazioa, Bilbao Arte. Basque Country, Spain

2004·    Acquisition prize, International Plastic Arts Competition of Cantabria, Spain·    4th Astragal prize, Youth Council of Asturias, Spain·    Artist-in-residence in ArtHaus, Ethan Cohen Projects, Truro, Massachusetts, USA·    Art projects support grant, Municipal Culture Foundation of Gijón, Spain

2003·    Honorary mention, Generación 2003, Caja Madrid, Spain·    A_T, Arte y política, El lenguaje como arma, video production project on the cities of the Atlantic Arc.·    Hangar artist-in-residence grant. Injuve and Hangar. Barcelona, Spain

2002·    Artistic creation grant. Sculpture Centre, Antón de Candas Museum, Asturias, Spain·    Support grant for the promotion of Spanish art and new tendencies, Ministry of Culture, Spain

2001·    Art disciplines education support grant. Asturias Regional Ministry of Culture, Spain·    Subsidies for on-line digital projects, FMC of Gijón, Spain·    Acquisition prize in drawing competition. Gallery Amaga, Avilés, Asturias, Spain

2000·    Art disciplines education support grant. Asturias Regional Ministry of Culture, Spain·    Brighton and Hove council student award, Brighton Council, England·    Artist-in-residence subsidy to stay at the Portland Sculpture Trust Research Centre. Brighton University, England

1999·    Art education support grant. Asturias Regional Ministry of Culture, Spain·    Caja de Asturias grant for projects and training abroad

1998·    First prize in the 8th Nicanor Piñole painting competition·    Art disciplines education support grant. Asturias Regional Ministry of Culture, Spain·    Brighton and Hove Council dent award, Brighton Council, England

1997·    Art disciplines education support grant. Asturias Regional Ministry of Culture·    Multi-disciplinary art activities subsidies. Municipal Culture Foundation and Popular University of Gijón, Spain

INDIVIDUAL EXHIBITIONS2007·    Anxiety, (Grito, ladrido, murmullo). WIP, Stockholm, Sweden·    Resistenza. Opere Murarie, spazio BDM, Rome, Italy·    Fuego camina conmigo. Gallery Espacio Líquido, Gijón, Spain

2006·    Arde lo que Será. Gallery MCO. Oporto, Portugal.·    DRAMA "PhotoEspaña". Gallery Raquel Ponce. Madrid, Spain·    Drama. Gallery Ferrán Cano. Palma de Mallorca, Spain

2005·    Reflexionen. Art Center Friedrichstrasse, Gallery Vostell, Berlin, Germany·    La Espera. Sala Carlos III. University of Navarra. Pamplona, Spain·    The Long Wait. Contemporary Art Space El Gallo, Salamanca, Spain

2004·    Icaro Project, 51 SIF. International Photography Hall, Centro Revillagigedo, Gijón, Spain·    Another man at the ArtHaus. Ethan Cohen Projects. Truro, Massachusetts, USA·    La Espera. Espacio Astragal. Regional Ministry for Youth. Gijón, Spain·    El hombre de la trinchera. EMAC Space. Plasencia, Badajoz, Spain·    Desarrollo Sostenido. Palacete del Embarcadero. Santander, Spain·    XXI Century man. Antón Museum. Candás, Asturias, Spain

2003·    Enfrentamiento hipercrítico. Gallery Mario Sequeira. Braga, Portugal·    Restlessness. Gallery Sicart. Barcelona, Spain·    Enfrentamiento crítico. ArtFutura 03, Foundation Gabarrón, Valladolid. Spain·    Restlessness. Espacio Líquido, Gijón, Spain·    Restlessness. Gallery Vostell, Madrid, Spain·    Restlessness. Gallery Sandunga, Granada, Spain

2001·    No sólo unos pocos sino todos están llamados.... Espacio Líquido, Gijón, Spain·    Void Project series. Salas de Caja de Asturias, Spain·    Void Project, S1. CCAI, Gijón, Spain

COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS2007·    Nightcomers. 10th Istanbul Biennale. Istanbul. Turkey·    Extensiones y anclajes, LABoral Art Centre, Gijón, Spain·    Anamnesia. Encuentro entre dos mares. Valencia-Sao Paulo Biennale. Valencia, Spain·    The Art House. Ethan Cohen projects, Miami Beach. Miami, USA·    ArtPort, Making waves. DIVA Art Fair, Paris, Le Louvre. Paris, France·    Pool Art Fair. Miami Beach. Miami, USA·    Balelatina. Art Basel, Gallery Espacio Liquido, Basel, Switzerland·    Scope Basel. Gallery Marc de Puechredon, Basel, Switzerland·    Festival Sonar. CCCB, Barcelona, Spain·    HoritzóTV. Perspectivas de otra TV posible. La Capella, Barcelona, Spain·    VIDA. International Sport and Art Biennale, CCA. Gijón, Spain·    Sights for now. Linkoping Art Centre, Sweden·    Arco 07. Gallery Espacio Líquido, Gijón and Gallery Raquel Ponce, Madrid, Spain·    Te Mando Un Colega. Gallery ADN. Barcelona and Espacio Abisal. Bilbao, Spain·    Signos de la Ciudad. CCAI de Gijón and CAAC, Andalusian Contemporary Art Centre, Sevilla, Spain·    PlayStation Suite, Madrid, Spain·    Norte Collection, Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, Spain·    Jam Art fair, ArtPort Project, Palma de Mallorca, Spain·    ArtValencia, ArtPort Project and Espacio Liquido, Valencia, Spain

2006·    Arco 06, Espacio Liquido. Madrid, Spain·    Fuego Camina Conmigo. Caracas Biennale. Fine Arts Museum Caracas, Venezuela·    Ibiza Biennale. Contemporary Art Museum Ibiza, Spain·    Vigilancia. Ediciones Arte y Naturaleza. Madrid, Spain·    7th Miniatures Biennale. La Laguna, Canary Islands, Spain·    1st Novartia Artistic Creation Competition, Murcia, Spain·    Extramuros Project. Escultura y paisaje en el arco Atlántico, Asturias, Spain; Portugal and United Kingdom·    Encuentros Arte y Naturaleza of Valle del Jerte. EMAC, Plasencia, Badajoz, Spain

2005·    Poles Apar t/ Poles Together project, 51st Venice Biennale, Italy·    Freakylandia, Gallery T20, Murcia, Spain·    Reflexionen. Rostock Kunsthalle, Germany.·    Scope Art Fair. Ethan Cohen Projects, London, England·    Water Ways project, Venice, Italy·    Photo LA. Ethan Cohen Art Gallery. Los Angeles, USA·    Mobile Art, LA Art fair, Los Angeles, USA·    Pornografías. Gallery Carmen de la Guerra, Madrid, Spain·    Art Brussels 05. Espacio Líquido, Brussels, Belgium·    ForoSur 05. Latin American Contemporary Art Fair, Espacio Liquido. Cáceres, Spain·    Explum. "Emerging Art Competition". Murcia, Spain

2004·    Psico Bunker. Santa Mónica Art Centre. Barcelona, Spain·    Solo para las Masas. Gallery Blanca Soto, Madrid, Spain·    Hartísima. Turin Fair, Espacio Liquido, Italy·    Park your Art. ScopeArt fair, Ethan Cohen Art Gallery, Miami, USA·    Observatori 04. Museum of Arts and Sciences, Valencia, Spain·    International Cantabria Plastic Arts Competition. Santander, Spain·    ScopeArt fair, Ethan Cohen Art Gallery, New York, USA·    Art Brussels 04. Espacio Liquido, Brussels, Belgium·    Off Loop, Barcelona, Spain·    Cologne Art fair, Espacio Liquido, Germany.·    Lisbon Fair, Espacio Liquido, Lisbon, Portugal·    34 Artistas ,14 dias de Revolución. Casa Duró. Mieres, Asturias, Spain·    ArteSantander. Gallery Sicart, Santander, Spain·    Ensalada de Bombilla, Gallery Blanca Soto, Madrid, Spain·    Dog days. FIB, Ruta artística, Benicassim Festival, Castellón, Spain·    Feedback. Espacio feedback, Madrid, Spain·    4th Plastic Arts Biennale. Foundation Rafael Botí. Córdoba, Spain·    Casas y Calles. Public and Domestic Art. Madrid, Spain

2003·    Cologne Art Fair 03. Gallery Vostell. Berlin, Germany·    Arte Lisboa 03. Espacio Liquido, Portugal·    03 Vilafranca Contemporánea. Gallery Sicart and Gallery Palma Dotze, Barcelona, Spain·    Open. Spaces. Hangar, Barcelona, Spain·    Sevilla Actual  03, isla de La Cartuja. Espacio Liquido, Sevilla, Spain·    National Art Biennale of Pamplona. La ciudadela, Pamplona, Spain·    Otras Meninas. Foundation Telefónica. Itinerant through Europe, and the USA·    Generación 2003. La Casa Encendida, Madrid and itinerant through Spain and Portugal.·    ARCO 03. Gallery Vostell, Madrid, Spain·    EX_IN, Sobre Exclusiones e Inclusiones. Espacio C. Cantabria, Spain·    Fluxus sin fin, Gallery Vostell. Madrid, Spain·    ForoSur 03. Gallery Vostell, Cáceres, Spain·    Periferias_2, interventions in public spaces, FMC, Gijón, Spain·    ArteSantander 03. Espacio Liquido, Santander, Spain·    Confluencias 03. Asturias Sculpture today. University of Oviedo, Spain

2002·    ARCO 02. Gallery Vostell. Madrid, Spain·    ArTransmedia. International Art Forums. Foundation DANAE. Gijón, Spain·    Tentaciones 02 Fair, Espacio Liquido, Madrid, Spain·    Pasajes del Paisaje, Albuquerque Museum. New Mexico, USA·    La Ruta del Sentido. Arquitectures, Casa de América, Madrid and Espacio Imatra, Bilbao, Spain·    ForoSur 02, Gallery Rafael Vostell. Cáceres, Spain·    Citas a ciega. Red de museos de Gijón, FMC, Spain·    Light is Life. Santander, Spain·    ArteSantander 02. Espacio Liquido. Santander, Spain·    Obsesiones de un turista. FMC de Gijón, Spain

2001·    PORTOARTE 01. Espacio Liquido. Oporto. Portugal·    Young Art European Forums. Teruel, Spain·    Degree show. Brighton University. Brighton. England·    La mirada en el agua. Barjola Museum, Gijón, Spain·    Gallery Apart. London, England·    Odisea en el espacio. Itinerant through Spain and France·    Diálogos lúdicos. Espacio Líquido, Gijón, Spain·    Gallery Altamira. Gijón, Spain

2000·    Interaction. South Gallery Grand Parade. Brighton University, England·    Gravedad Cero. Regional Plastic Arts Fair of Asturias. Itinerant through Spain and France·    Group show. Portland Sculpture Trust. Portland Island, England

1999·    Look both ways, Phoenix Gallery. Brighton Festival, England·    Multiples art market. Phoenix Gallery, Brighton, England·    Efecto 2000. Regional Plastic Arts Fair of Asturias. Itinerant through various Spanish cities and the Interceltic Festival of Lorient, France·    Triumph exhibition. Brighton. England·    International Artists' Book Fair. Brighton University, Barbican Gallery. London, England·    La mirada en el agua. Barjola Museum. Gijón, Spain

1998·    1st Urban Art Fair. A:Península. Gijón, Spain·    Nexo. Regional Plastic Arts Fair of Asturias, Spain·    It has art love in it, Brighton University, England

1997·    Gallery Altamira. Gijón, Spain·    El crisol del Norte. Young Art Fair of Asturias. Itinerant through Spain

WORK IN COLLECTIONS·    Testimonio collection. Caja Madrid, Spain·    Espacio C collection, Cantabria, Spain·    Bilbao Arte Fundazioa, Spain·    Temas de Arte collection. Comunidad de Madrid, Spain·    Caja de Asturias collection, Spain·    Local Council of San Martín del Rey Aurelio. Fine Arts Museum of Asturias, Spain·    Rottary Club collection. Antón Museum, Asturias, Spain·    Norte collection, Regional Ministry of Culture of Cantabria, Spain·    Local Council of Valdemoro, Madrid, Spain·    EMAC, Plasencia, Badajoz, Spain·    Arte y Naturaleza. Contemporary Art Centre of Ibiza, Spain

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VIDEO OF THE 2008 MADRID ABIERTO EDITION: INTERVENTIONS + AUDIOVISUAL WORKS + SOUND WORKS 

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