Since 2005, the University of Alicante Museum has staged exhibitions that interpret its collection from a new perspective. Every academic year, from among the approximately 2,500 pieces in the Museum’s holdings, several works are selected based on thematic, technical or conceptual criteria. The resulting exhibition becomes a dynamic space for discussing, researching and disseminating contemporary art.
This year’s showcase, FORMATOPÍAS [“Formatopias”], puts the focus on the notion of “support”. Beyond its material dimension, the support – a key part of the artwork – can also be viewed as a laboratory of sorts, allowing contemporary artists to push the boundaries of format, scale or presentation.
The selected works are just a sample of the many formats and materials found in the Museum’s diverse collection, which includes paintings, photographs, sculptures, engravings, collages, works on paper and installations. The support plays an active role, giving meaning and value to each piece of art.
FORMATOPÍAS is therefore intended as an exploration of supports in contemporary art, an open space where artworks transcend their boundaries and generate new interpretations. The viewer is invited to examine materials and structures, that which we can see, and find out that the support is not merely the base on which the artwork is executed – it actually defines and transforms the work, adding an element of tension to broaden our perspective.