FVTVRIST GUIDES//
Madrid: Notes by Anna S. (Fvtvrist)
Madrid is a city where artists, curators, and collectors inevitably meet. At its center lies the Paseo del Arte - the triangle formed by three great museums: the Prado, the Reina Sofía, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza. Together, they create one of the most important cultural axes in Europe.
It was the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum that first brought me here from Barcelona. Working there, I discovered what it means to live with art every day. Walking through its galleries in the quiet of the morning, I understood how a museum can hold time in suspension. That experience shaped me profoundly, and it is the reason I chose Madrid for this guide. Here, history and the avant- garde, grandeur and intimacy, are always in dialogue.
Prado Museum
For me, the Prado is the greatest collection in Spain and perhaps one of the most important in the world. Built over centuries by Spanish kings. To walk its galleries is to enter a royal imagination: the quiet dignity of Velázquez, the haunting truths of Goya, the visionary dreamscapes of Bosch. What I admire most is the balance between tradition and renewal. The Prado constantly reopens itself through ambitious temporary exhibitions. I still remember the impact of shows dedicated to Sigmar Polke, whose irreverent experimentation felt radical inside those historic walls, and Cai Guo-Qiang, who transformed the language of gunpowder into dialogue with European masters.
「 Image: Prado Museum」
Being mad about Madrid is perfectly fine — here, madness belongs to art, and art belongs to the city.
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum
The museum that was once my home. Its collection is unlike any other because it does not follow a single line but opens as a panorama: Renaissance portraits, Dutch interiors, Impressionist light, Pop Art, and contemporary abstraction.
What makes the Thyssen exceptional is also its rhythm of temporary exhibitions. Under the artistic direction of Guillermo Solana - a curator who, in my eyes, feels art more deeply than anyone, the museum creates shows that are not only scholarly but alive. I especially admired recent show Terrafilia – Beyond the Human in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collections, created with TBA21: a meditation on nature and our place within it, reconnecting centuries of art with urgent ecological questions. More recently, the exhibition of Anna Weyant, also curated by Solana, placed her delicate yet unsettling works in dialogue with the permanent collection. Working with him was one of the privileges of my career.
「 Image: Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum」
Reina Sofía Museum
The Reina Sofía is the contemporary heartbeat of Madrid’s Paseo del Arte. Its story begins and ends with two monuments: Picasso’s Guernica, the most powerful anti-war painting of the 20th century, and Richard Serra’s Equal-Parallel: Guernica–Bengasi, a steel sculpture that connects memory, space, and political tragedy. Around them unfolds a collection that traces modern Spain through Dalí, Miró, and countless voices that fractured, reimagined, and redefined what art could be.
What I admire is how the museum stays alive through its exhibitions. Recent shows such as Resistencia (video art from Latin America), Ritmos (reimagining women’s roles in art and archives), and Light Spectra by Naufus Ramírez-Figueroa (in collaboration with TBA21) prove that the Reina Sofía is about creating new narratives for the present.
Just a short walk from Madrid’s three great museums stands Colección SOLO / Espacio SOLO, a must-see for anyone who wants to understand how contemporary art breathes in this city. Designed by estudioHerreros, the building itself feels like a manifesto.
Colección SOLO actually unfolds across two spaces in Madrid. Its permanent collection champions Spanish artists alongside an international roster, making it a vital counterpoint to the historical weight of the Paseo del Arte. On my last visit, I explored their temporary exhibition dedicated to Barjola, but each visit feels less like a public museum and more like stepping directly into a collector’s mind.
「 Image: Reina Sofia Museum」
「 Image: Coleción SOLO」
「 Image: ARCO Madrid, 2025」
In early March, Madrid concentrates the global art world into a single city. For a few days, the entire ecosystem - museums, galleries, private collections, fairs - moves in sync, creating one of the most intense cultural moments in Europe.
At its core is ARCOmadrid, widely regarded as the most curatorially rigorous fair on the continent. Around it, other formats bring different energies: CAN Art Fair Madrid (Contemporary Art Now), founded by Sergio Sancho, whom I first met at a Larry’s List party in Shanghai, captures the younger, risk-taking edge of contemporary practice; Art Madrid, in the Palacio de Cibeles, balances established and emerging names as it marks its 20th edition; while JustMad and Hybrid favor intimacy and experiment, often where new voices are first seen.
What defines Art Week is the city itself. Openings extend late into the night, performances occupy hidden courtyards, and private collections unlock their doors. For that week, Madrid mirrors the art world.
「 Image: UVNT, 2024」
「 Image: Exhibition view, 2025, Mai 36 Gallery」
「 Image: ARCO Madrid, 2024」
Galleries & Spaces
· Galería Elvira González – A reference for postwar masters and contemporary precision.
· La Casa Encendida – More than exhibitions, it’s a cultural hub where art, music, and cinema overlap.
· Matadero Madrid – Once a slaughterhouse, now the city’s most experimental cultural laboratory, a space where new formats of art constantly emerge.
· Mai 36 Galerie (Madrid) – The Swiss gallery’s outpost connects Madrid directly to global dialogues.
· Palacio de Gaviria – A 19th-century palace near Gran Vía reimagined as a space for large-scale temporary exhibitions. Its ornate interiors host international shows, from Dalí and Escher to immersive contemporary installations.
Hidden Gems & Arty Spots
· Conde Duque Cultural Center – A historic building repurposed for art, performance, and new ideas.
· Sala Alcalá 31 – Always striking presentations of contemporary Spanish artists.
· Tabacalera – Raw, experimental, and true to the city’s underground energy.
· Círculo de Bellas Artes Rooftop – Not only art, but also the best view of Madrid, a place where artists and writers still gather.
· Café Comercial & Café Barbieri – Historic cafés where the city’s intellectual and artistic circles continue to meet.
「 Image: Espacio Fundación Telefónica」
Madrid never stops reinventing itself. Beyond the great museums, the city thrives on temporary exhibitions, off-space openings, and one-night performances. To keep up with what’s happening right now:
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Madrid Secreto will lead you to the city’s hidden gems and cultural surprises.
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EsMadrid is the official agenda, where you’ll find the hottest exhibitions and events.
And if you want something more personal yet, reach out to FVTVRIST directly: send us a DM in Instagram, and we’ll guide you to the shows and spaces you can’t miss while you’re here.
