[I]Realidades [Obras 1949-2024]’ está compuesta por 60 obras, procedentes en su mayoría de la colección personal del artista, así como de otras colecciones públicas y privadas como la del Museo Reina Sofía.
La escultura Hermes de Rafael Canogar se instala en Carabanchel
The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, inaugurated this morning the new location of the monumental sculpture Hermes, by the artist Rafael Canogar, in the Carabanchel district, after being exhibited in the Plaza de Cibeles as part of the exhibition that CentroCentro has dedicated to his work. Also present at the event were the delegate for Culture, Tourism, and Sports, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, and the district councilor, Carlos Izquierdo, as well as the artist himself.
Almeida thanked Canogar for his "generosity, talent, and excellence" with this city "that loves and welcomes him so much," as the placement of the statue Hermes "allows us to blend the best of culture with our public space," a way to "make culture part of our daily lives" and, as Almeida emphasized, "points us towards the best future for the city and the shortest path to grow as a society."
The mayor also highlighted the work of councilor Carlos Izquierdo "for creating the best conditions to turn the district into an ecosystem of artistic creation" with a special emphasis on contemporary art, "but welcoming any manifestation that enriches us as a city and society." In this sense, Almeida pointed out that "the city of Madrid cannot be understood without culture, without its creators, artists, and galleries," that ecosystem "that allows us to disconnect from the day-to-day to enjoy the pleasure of culture."
The installation of the work, at the intersection of Calle Antonio Leyva and Josefa Fernández Buterga, continues the decentralized and collaborative model promoted by the Carabanchel Municipal Board. This monumental sculpture is part of a strategic plan to consolidate an outdoor cultural circuit, with a network of quality sculptures along 460 meters.
Carabanchel Art Route
The sculpture Hermes thus joins the Carabanchel Art Route, a pioneering project that will traverse the district, connecting murals, sculptures, and spaces of community creation and solidifying the District 11 brand as a benchmark for avant-garde in Madrid.
This route will be organized into two main axes: one descending from Avenida de Marqués de Vadillo along Calle Antonio Leyva, focusing on contemporary painting and sculpture, and another ascending along Calle General Ricardos, focusing on muralism and urban art. Therefore, the district adds Canogar’s work to that of artists such as Abraham Lacalle, Santiago Ydáñez, Sfhir, Lidia Cao, or Gerada.
The piece, which has been exhibited in the Plaza de Cibeles since April 29, is Rafael Canogar’s latest sculpture and is part of the exhibition of the painter and sculptor from Toledo that could be visited at the cultural space CentroCentro until May 18. The retrospective ‘Rafael Canogar. [I]Realidades [Obras 1949-2024]’ is composed of 60 works, mostly from the artist’s personal collection, as well as from other public and private collections such as that of the Reina Sofía Museum.
