Showcasing nearly 1,500 paintings, photographs and sculptures, Four Seasons Hotel Madrid is a stunning destination for art. Elite curator Paloma Fernández-Iriondo assembled this inspiring collection, creating a dramatic juxtaposition of old and new. Reflecting the Hotel’s historical architecture are reproductions of classic plasters from Madrid’s legendary Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, just across the street. Adding a contemporary edge, work by emerging Spanish artists brings fresh energy and imagination.
Plaster reproductions from the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Painting by Eduardo Martín del Pozo in the Presidential Suite
Paintings by Ana Cano Brookbank (left) and Eduardo Martín del Pozo (right)
Paintings by Lucrecia Pascual in the function spaces
EMERGING ARTISTS COLLECTION
To find the most exciting new Spanish artists, curator Paloma Fernández-Iriondo arranged a competition at fine arts schools in Madrid, Málaga and Seville. Over a four-year period, artists submitted more than 500 proposals in the categories of painting, graphic work, work on paper, photography, work in plaster and sculpture. Eventually, 75 proposals were selected and works reproduced to decorate the guest rooms, suites and corridors. Some artists were also commissioned to produce site-specific works to animate the Hotel’s restaurants and public spaces.
Highlights
By Eduardo Perez-Cabrero“STARRY NIGHT” (2019)
A walk upstairs from the lobby leads past an installation of 1,500 small brass pieces on a curved wall. Resembling a night sky, this work is inspired by a constellation – inviting reflection on the shared experiences of humans, independent of gender, race or geography.
By Sandra Val“HYBRID GARDEN” (2020)
A site-specific work commissioned for ISA restaurant, this painting covers the ceiling in the style of fresco painters of the past. Honouring both Asian and European traditions, the tree branches are in gold leaf, while the birds are painted in oil with a classic colour palette.
By Pilar Cavestany“LIGHT BOX COLLAGES” (2020)
Commissioned for the historical interiors of the Royal Suite, two colourful light boxes add a sense of modern drama. Capturing light and movement, these three-dimensional kaleidoscopes interact with the environment, producing optical effects and a vibrant luminosity.
By Cristina Almodovar“RADIATION” (2019)
In the study of the Royal Suite, this series of four metacrilate boxes features natural elements that seem to emit colour, referring to energies present but not directly visible. The colours appear as an irradiating and mysterious presence, reminding of life’s mysteries.
By Maria Elisa Rivera“THE WALL” (2018)
This diptych, located in a two-bedroom suite, is painted with the impasto technique that uses alabaster powder as the prominent feature. The colour palette is very warm with a predominance of earth tones – playing with different textures inspired by heating, cooling and breaking.
By Jose Cháfer“CURVED SERIES I” (2020)
Located in Dani restaurant, this elegantly curved sculpture made of ash wood appears to levitate like a dancer. The artist works extensively with stone and wood, taking inspiration from the textures and colours hidden inside natural materials.
By Jesus Crespo“BALLOON” (2020)
Found in the reception area of Dani restaurant, this bold painting experiments with the relationships between metamorphosis and dissolution. Ambiguity is a common element in the artist’s creations. Viewers complete the work by contributing their own interpretations.
By KAWS Companion Series“Along the Way”
This larger-than-life-size sculpture created in 2013 is a work of juxtapositions, contrasting vulnerability and strength, whimsy and monumentality, and the modern and traditional – making it the perfect choice for this historical environment. The sculpture is formed by two interlocking hardwood pieces.