These are the impressions of an artist taking part in a Contemporary Art Fair that was his first approach to a public as passionate and in love with art as he himself is, from the nerves on the day of the installation, its inauguration, to its closing and closure, as they used to say in military jargon, “on the run”.
Although it is true that this was not a specific forum for the celebration of an art fair – due to its setting in a shopping centre, although very central and well positioned – it is no less true that, the influx of the most varied people, has meant good personal contacts for the attendees, whether by accident or at the invitation of an exhibitor. We missed the presence of the media: radio, press or television -which there were none- as well as the visit of local or regional governors -which there were none either-; only the presence of a Minister, Ms. Reyes Maroto who, although invited by an exhibitor: AGA and not by the organisation, was kind enough to visit almost all the stands, whether or not she had personal concerns or artistic sensibility, in any case, she was grateful for the detail, as was the fact that she personally took a photograph with the large poster of my most representative work: the Menimena, which is none other than the representation of the iconic work of Velázquez: the MENINA and whose name is due to the composition of the same and in honour of my daughter Jimena.
Over the course of the four days of the fair, there have been several pictorial performances, in which live painting has taken place and to which the general public has responded generously by applauding.
There has also been contact with very interesting people involved in interior architecture and decoration who have been surprised by the work and with whom we have formed collaboration agreements.
The protagonist of the Fair has undoubtedly been our Menimena, whom they have been able to observe in all her steps: from her genesis in paper sketch, to the paper template to make an origami, to her representation in translucent polyamide in 3 sizes: 5, 10 and 30 cms in white in principle but, polychromed to the consumer’s taste (to those who acquired it), in aluminium sheet, patinated bronze, polished bronze, polished aluminium and finally, her pictorial representation in all the materials within the artist’s reach, wood, rubber, fabric, plasterboard, canvas…, especially if they are recycled materials to which she can give another use.
I would like to thank all those people who have visited us, bought from us, who follow us on RRSS, who have taken photos with our great poster with the Menimena…, in short, all those who have made it possible for the Fair to be a success.
Arturo González “Glez”
