The delegate of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, Marta Rivera de la Cruz, presented today the conservation and restoration project of 13 of the works that make up the Open-Air Sculpture Museum of Castellana, an initiative promoted by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Urban Landscape within its competencies in the conservation of municipal heritage. The contract, awarded for about 70,000 euros, will allow these works to start on August 1, with an estimated deadline of eight months.
Rivera de la Cruz highlighted that this project reflects the commitment of the City Council to the conservation of Madrid’s cultural assets, as «the restoration of these 13 sculptures is another step in the care of our heritage.» According to the delegate, this intervention will «highlight a very prominent sculptural ensemble that is accessible to all citizens.»
Officially inaugurated in 1979, this museum is located under the elevated pass that connects Juan Bravo and Eduardo Dato streets, on Castellana Avenue. It is a unique space of municipal heritage that brings together 17 sculptures by prominent artists of the Spanish avant-garde of the 20th century.
On this occasion, the following sculptures will be intervened: Plaza-Escultura (Gustavo Torner), Mediterránea (Martín Chirino), Estructura permutacional (Francisco Sobrino), Estructura hiperpoliédrica del espacio (Rafael Leoz), Un món per a infants (Andreu Alfaro), Estela de Venus (Amadeo Gabino), Al otro lado del muro (José María Subirachs), Proalí (Marcel Martí), Proyecto para un monumento IV B (Pablo Palazuelo), Volumen-relieve-arquitectura (Gerardo Rueda), Toros ibéricos (Alberto Sánchez), La Petite Faucille (Julio González), and Unidades Yunta (Pablo Serrano).
The project is based on individualized studies and analyses promoted in 2022 by the Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports, which included taking samples to identify the constituent materials, alteration processes, and the most suitable conservation measures in each case. The technical reports have determined the specific intervention guidelines, which will be respectful of the material and aesthetic integrity of each work.
A unique outdoor museum
The Open-Air Sculpture Museum of Castellana occupies 4,200 m² distributed on three staggered levels and lacks enclosure, which has allowed its pieces to be freely appreciated since its opening. This characteristic has made periodic conservation especially necessary, both to ensure its integrity and to preserve its visibility as part of Madrid’s cultural landscape.
On the first staggered level, the large retaining wall of Serrano Street is covered by a cascade of water sheets, designed by Eusebio Sempere using white concrete modules with wavy shapes, creating light and motion effects. The second sector is presided over by Gerardo Rueda’s mural, flanked by the sculptures of Palazuelo and Miró. These two works were the last to be added to the museum, at the end of 1978 and the beginning of 1979, respectively.
On the lower level is the large esplanade that houses three of the most representative pieces of the collection: Lugar de Encuentros III by Eduardo Chillida, better known as La sirena varada, which presides over the center of the enclosure, alongside the sculptures of Alberto Sánchez and Julio González. /
