THE
HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE FUIT, FISH, VEGETABLE AND MEAT
MARKET HAS GIVEN WAY TO A GENTLE TO-ING AND FRO-ING OF
WORKS OF ART AND VISITORS. THE OLD, AUSTERE WHOLESALE
MARKET IS NOW A MODERN CENTRE OF CONTEMPORARY ART, WHERE
THE MOST REMARKABLE ARTISTIC MOVEMENTS OF THE 20TH AND
21ST CENTURIES ARE REPRESENTED.
Malaga's
Centre of Contemporary Art (CAC) is the capital's most
ambitious and most daring cultural venture of the last
few years. Opened on the 17th February 2003 by the Duke
and Duchess of Palma, the CAC aims to promote 20th and
21st century art using a strategy completely new to Spain,
in which management techniques akin to private companies
are used to achieve public-sector objectives.
This system, based on the German "kunsthaus"
model is highly dynamic and places great importance on
reflection on art and on its promotion.
Art
Market.
The brand new CAC occupies the old Mercado de Mayoristas
de Málaga (wholesale market), a historic building
situated on the left bank of the mouth of the river Guadalmedina.
A stone's throw from the historic centre, the site lies
at the edge of the great Moslem medina in what were at
that time the immediate outskirts of the city, although
the area visible today was restructured mid-way through
the 19th century. The building plans for a Wholesale Market
between the Calle Benitez and the Calle Alemania were
drawn up in 1927. However, due to financing problems,
it was not until 1939 that construction began and it was
not opened to the public until 1942.
The market was one of the first buildings to be inaugurated
in the postwar period. Its architect, Luís Gutiérrez
Soto, had no difficulty incorporating the refined, rationalist
style so characteristic of earlier periods. By that time,
Gutiérrez Soto was already a recognised architect
of what was khown as the Modernist Movement. His projects
included the Cine Europa (Madrid, 1928), Barajas Airport
(Madrid, 1930), the Cine Barceló (Madrid 1930),
the Bar Chicote (Madrid 1931) and the Cine Bonda (Vitoria
1935).
The building is characterised by its strict funcionality,
straigh lines and cuboid features. The triangular shape
of the plot is adhered to in its three floors: basements,
ground and first.
Its singularity makes it a unique place which is now back
in use after a long period of idleness. Works of art and
art goers have now replaced the coming and going of goods
and tradesmen. 
The
Centre.
The CAC is a huge space (6000 m2 total area of which 2400
m2 is used for exhibitions) that will attract artists
who haven't previously exhibited their work in Spain.
The CAC's permanent collection is primarily made up of
about four hundred works loaned by private collectors
for periods varying between three and five years. This
is keeping with a system that has been successful at other
big art centres of the world.
At the same time the Málaga council will gradually
increase the size of this collection with a series of
purchases that began at ARCO 2003, where six works were
acquired from the artists Nuria Carrasco, Sergio Prego,
Susy Gómez, Chema Cobo and Chema Lumbreras.
Starting from the impressionist period at the end of the
19th century, represented by artists such as Beruete and
Regollos, the works comprising the current collection
afford an overview of the different movements and trends
in art in the 20th century. The period from the 1950s
to the present is especially well represented in this
collection, and includes 1960s North-American artists
like Lichtenstein and Stella: Similarly, Spanish painting
in the eighties is focused on, with works by Broto, Campano,
Sicilia, Quejido, Cobo, Barceló and Uslé.
More
than just exhibitions.
The Education Department of Málaga's CAC offers
courses, seminars and conferences given by artists and
specialists, as well as profesionally guided tours.
The department has a specialised library with a collection
of 1500 titles on modern art.
To complement its programme, the centre will organise
other events like performances, a cinema programme and
book launches.
Address: Calle Alemania s/n.
Málaga.
