'Nobody can share the flavor of mint', in BilbaoArte

Under the title 'Nadie puede compartir el sabor de la mint', Sala URIBITARTE40 of the BilbaoArte center has become a space where contemporary art reflects on words and their relationship with objects and experiences, questioning how names shape our perceptions and considering whether the act of naming limits or strengthens the bond with everything that surrounds us.

This exhibition is the first produced within the framework of a call for curatorship promoted by BilbaoArte, with the aim of projecting the artists in its collection and offering different perspectives on their works. The project, curated by Iñigo Villafranca Apesteguia and Lorenzo Galgó , explores the complexity of working with a heterogeneous collection through the analogy of mint, a plant easily recognized by its aroma but at the same time difficult to define. How can you explain the flavor of mint without limiting its essence? This question, also inspired by Shakespeare's famous reflection on the name of roses, guides an exhibition in which the scenographic design of Mikel Ruiz and Daniel Llaría also amplify the questions raised by the curators.

A heterogeneous collection

The exhibition brings together nine pieces by artists from the BilbaoArte collection, each with an approach that aims to go beyond simple labeling and that shows this characteristic diversity of the collection by addressing different perspectives that rethink the connections we have with materials and the narratives.

Martí Madaula , with 'First and last sentence', explores play and chance in writing through the arrangement of bullets on paper, turning the creative process into a kind of metaphor. In 'Trebedé', by Ander Pérez Puelles , the movement of the camera tied to a pole transforms the gesture into a tool of artistic significance.

This dialogue between art and the everyday, with the aim of de-hierarchizing both concepts, is also present in pieces such as the video 'X-5-75' by Miguel Alejos , which plays with the symbolism of a slave engraved with the his name, or José Jurado's photographs, 'We are neither from here nor there', which visually recount a journey from Extremadura to Euskadi, loaded with cultural memory. At the same time, Sofía Montenegro 's 'Ya ha salido el sol' invites deep listening during a walk, elevating this everyday life to a more contemplative dimension.

'No somos ni de aquí ni de allí', José Jurado (2015)

In the realm of speculation, 'Sin título' by Usoa Fullaondo and 'Suelos' by Milena Rossignoli propose alternative scenarios that challenge the limits of what we consider tangible. These works open the door to imagining new landscapes and textures, in an exercise that seeks to give the world a different form, beyond established conventions.

Finally, the pieces by Maider Aldasoro and Gorka Eizagirre reflect on the relationship between functionality and aesthetics. 'Flor' is presented as a silk bench that seems too fragile to be used, while 'Sin título' combines the robustness of iron with an everydayness that has served, for years, as a seat for visitors to BilbaoArte.

Ultimately, the exhibition, which can be visited until February 2, is presented as an exercise in introspection about the way in which we relate to works of art and the world. At the same time, it is also a way of reaffirming BilbaoArte's commitment to its artists.

'Flor', Maider Aldasoro (2022)