The glamorous side of a private collection is loaning out artworks and putting on exhibitions, but what about the administrative elements that happen in the background – the handling, the storage and the hanging? Coleccion Solo, a free-to-visit by-appointment private collection in Madrid, has brought these two worlds together in its current exhibition ‘Handle with Care’.
In keeping with the theme, the holes in the wall from the previous show are deliberately still visible and visitors can even wander into the back room where works from the last show are packed away ready for storage, complete with fragile stickers. In this room a creepy human-animal hybrid mannequin by David Altmejd is just about visible through the gaps in the crate it’s sitting in.
Jannick Deslauriers also offers a playful take on installation with her ladder made from fabric that would likely crumple under the weight of any person, if they were allowed to set foot on it. Also in line with the theme is Filip Custic’s torso that moulds together male and female elements while sitting atop another crate marked with a fragile stamp.
Not all the works fit so neatly into the theme of the show, but it is a chance to showcase the diversity of works in the collection – including a strong showing of digital artists. Smack are a collective who make AI generated artworks that are packed full of details that can have you watching them for hours as characters appear their works include some damning critiques of social media – case in point being their magnum opus, which is a digital 21st-century reimagining of Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights a work I’ve never forgot despite first seeing it years ago – and it’s in the Solo collection.
Other digital standouts include the piece by Entangled Others that splices together the DNA of different organisms to create morphing artworks and Chino Moya’s film in the impressive screening room that imagines a world where people no longer need to work but keep doing so, more as a ritual to keep themselves occupied.
The prevalence of digital works is not to say more traditional media isn’t represented here and William MacKinnon’s atmospheric large-scale nocturnal paintings bring together elements of mystery and his dual life living between Australia and Ibiza.
When it came to writing this piece I did wonder whether I should hand it over A.I.C.C.A – Mario Klingemann’s art critic robot dog (see video below) that can assess an artwork with its camera eye and ‘poop out’ a review from the printer that’s within it. Examples of its writing are on the wall and while it’s riddled with artspeak, I must confess that I’ve seen some press releases that are worse than what it has written.
There’s no doubt that Eric Nado believes words still have their power as he’s created rifle-shaped sculptures out of Remington typewriters – Remington being a brand that also makes rifles.
While Madrid has no shortage of museums, this private collection in the heart of the city is a welcome addition to the cultural scene – particularly as it’s free to visit – and the current exhibition does a great job of showcasing the breadth of its collection.
Handle with Care is on at Coleccion Solo in Madrid until December. Entrance is free but by appointment only and these must be booked in advance.
All images courtesy and copyright Coleccion Solo. First image shows William MacKinnon’s paintings either side of a KAWS artwork. Third image is of A.I.C.C.A by Mario Klingemann.
