The 44th edition of ARCOmadrid, held from March 5 to 9, 2025, at IFEMA Madrid, once again affirmed its role as one of Europe’s leading platforms for contemporary art. This year, the fair brought together 214 galleries and showcased works by around 1,600 artists from across the globe.
The central curated section, Wametisé: Ideas for an Amazofuturism, explored post-human imaginaries and hybrid cosmologies inspired by the Amazon, reinforcing the relevance of contemporary art in addressing environmental and cultural shifts.
Contemporary art as political commentary also had a strong presence. Spanish artist Eugenio Merino’s installation, “White Washing,” featured a dishwasher loaded with plates printed with far-right leaders’ faces, including Donald Trump. Another striking work was Ramón Mateos’ “7.291,” referencing the number of elderly deaths in Madrid’s care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fair honored Claudia Pagès for her paper-based installations exploring historical memory, emphasizing how contemporary art can materialize forgotten narratives.
ARCOmadrid 2025 also served as a space for protest. Spanish galleries momentarily dimmed their lights in a symbolic demand to reduce Spain’s 21% VAT on art sales—more than triple that of France or Germany—arguing that high taxation limits access to contemporary art.
Despite ongoing economic debates, ARCOmadrid proved once more that contemporary art is not only alive but actively shaping cultural and political discourse in Spain and beyond.
