“la Caixa” is to exhibit the latest Testimony Collection acquisitions in

In commemoration its 15th anniversary, this annual
contemporary art showing will be presented again in
Catalonia
“la Caixa” is to exhibit the latest Testimony
Collection acquisitions in Tarragona
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Testimony Collection, from 29
November, 2002 until 2 February, 2003, “la Caixa” will present the art work which
it has acquired for this Collection over the 2001-2002 season. The show, which
may be visited at the Social and Cultural Centre of the Fundación “la Caixa” in
Tarragona, will bring together 122 works, all of them by contemporary Spanish
artists of various generations. The works were picked from various exhibitions
at leading art galleries in Barcelona, Palma and Madrid, as well as the ARCO,
New Art and Art Expo fairs. Given the eclectic bent of the selected galleries, the
works that make up this exhibition reflect a wide array of disciplines -– from
figuration to abstraction, tradition to avant-garde– in a plural and purposefully
heterogeneous mix of paintings, sculptures and photographs. Catalan art is
represented by some 50 artists, including Joaquim Chancho, Àngel Bofarull,
Ramiro Fernández, Joan Fontcuberta, Ramón Herreros, Guinovart, Antoni
Miralda, Santi Moix, Hernández Pijuan, Susana Solano and Ràfols Casamada, in
addition to others.
The Testimony Collection was established by “la Caixa” in 1987 with an aim to carry out
an ongoing task of promotion for Spanish art through a stable link with art galleries, in
addition to fostering day-to-day contact between the public and the world of art. Since
that time, it has developed through annual agreements with a number of galleries which
renew some exhibitions every season. By these arrangements, “la Caixa” regularly
acquires one work of art from each exhibition held by the collaborating galleries,
provided they are by living Spanish artists.
After 15 years of systematic collecting, the Testimony Collection now consists of 2,000
works, manifest proof of “la Caixa”’s interest in reflecting the energy and richness of
contemporary Spanish art by its significant patronage efforts.
Every year, a major exhibition featuring all of the works acquired in the prior season is
held in a different city. Barcelona, Palma de Majorca, Oviedo, La Coruña, Zaragoza,
Valencia, Seville and Las Palmas have been venues for past runnings of this event.
Now, to commemorate the Testimony Collection’s first 15 years, the annual showing
returns to Catalonia, with an exhibition to be put on at the Social and Cultural Centre of
the Fundación “La Caixa” in Tarragona.
The Testimony 2001-2002 show will give visitors a true feel for last year’s exhibition
season in Spain. Given the eclectic bent of the selected galleries, the works that make
up this exhibition hail from myriad disciplines – from figuration to abstraction, tradition to
avant-garde– in a plural and purposefully heterogeneous mix of paintings, sculptures
and photographs representative of contemporary Spanish art.
This will make for a rare opportunity to see all of the works acquired by “la Caixa” over
the past season. Later, as has been the custom every year, most of the acquisitions will
be distributed and exhibited on a permanent basis in the different “la Caixa” premises,
offices and public ambits for the everyday enjoyment of this financial institution’s
employees and customers. Others will be transferred to the Contemporary Art
Collection of Fundación “la Caixa”.
The works acquired this year for the Testimony Collection belong to the following artists:
Rosa Agenjo, Alfredo Alcaín, Carme Aliaga, Modest Almirall, Tito Andreu, Xano
Armenter, Santiago Arranz, Ayala, Txomin Badiola, Beneyto, José María Bermejo, R. G.
Bianchi, Ángel Bofarull, Irene Bordoy, José Manuel Broto, Juan Bufill, Simó Busom,
Patricio Cabrera, Sergi Cambrils, Miguel Ángel Campano, Luis Canelo, Rafael Canogar,
Martín Carral, Ramon Company, Ricardo Cotanda, Isabel Cruellas, Dolors Curell,
Joaquín Chancho, Ricard Chiang, Antonio De Felipe, Juan De Sande, Florentino Díaz,
Manolo Dimas, María Domínguez, Sol Fàbrega, Ramiro Fernández, Juan Ramón Feu,
Joan Fontcuberta, Jordi Fulla, Carmen Galofré, Jaume García, Jorge García
Pfretzschener, Ferran García Sevilla, Enric Giralt, Asunción Goikoetxea, Susy Gómez,
Gonzalo Goytisolo, Rafael Grassi, Julián Grau Santos, Gabriela Grech, Josep
Guinovart, Joan Hernández Pijuan, Ramón Herreros, Pello Irazu, Fernando Lorite,
Álvaro Miguel Macaya, Machimbarrena, Pere Martí, María Martín, Neus Martín Royo,
Antoni Mas, Joan Pere Massana, Víctor Mira, Miralda, Santi Moix, Begoña Montalbán,
Espe Monteys, Lita Mora, F. M. Morán, Ramon Moscardó, Gloria Muñoz, Antonio
Murado, Nazario, Ángela Nordenstedt, Marina Núñez, Jorge Oteiza, Perico Pastor,
Agustí Pelegero, Perejaume, Aina Perelló, Víctor Pérez-Porro, Jorge R. Pombo, Charo
Pradas, Fernando Prats, Sergio Prego, Manolo Quejido, Ràfols Casamada, Manuel Rey
Fueyo, Gerard Rosés, Jaume Roure, Gino Rubert, Pere Salinas, Pep Sallés, Cristina
Sampere, América Sánchez, Jordi Sardà, Juan Carlos Savater, Susana Solano, Àlex
Soler, Pablo Sycet, Antoni Taulé, Benjamín Torcal, Rosa Torres, Jordi Urbón, Eduardo
Úrculo, Darío Urzay, Juan Uslé, José Manuel Vela, Vicenç Viaplana, Luis Vidal, Miquel
Vidal, Eusebi Vila Delclós, Miquel Vilà, Oriol Vilapuig, Carme Villà, Xavier Visa and Jesús
Zurita.
Testimony 2001 - 2002
From 29 November, 2002 to 2 February, 2003
Opening: Thursday, 28 November, at 7 pm
“la Caixa” Foundation Cultural Centre
Cristòfor Colom, 2
43001 TARRAGONA
www.fundacio@lacaixa.es
Tel.: 902 22 30 40
Opening times:
Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 2 pm and from 5 pm to 9 pm
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from 11 am to 2 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm
Free admission
For more information and graphic material, contact:
Inés Martínez Ribas. Press Office of ”la Caixa” Foundation
Av. Diagonal, 621, torre 2, planta 12. 08028 Barcelona
Telephone: 93 404 60 73. Fax: 93 404 61 16 / 60 80
ines.martinez.fundacio@lacaixa.es