A video piece by a young Alicante artist, Ana Esteve Reig, became a notable moment at ARCO when it joined the Ministry of Culture’s acquisitions. The work was selected for Reina Sofía’s collection, marking a milestone in the artist’s career as her first major institutional purchase.
Esteve Reig, a rising figure born in Alicante, has pursued a provocative path through contemporary art. Her recent exhibition at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum explored fictional scenarios that challenge viewers to reconsider how art enters museum collections. When she received the news about Reina Sofía’s decision, she expressed delight, noting the surprise of the selection and the alignment with her broader practice.
The ARCO initiative involved a global acquisition package valued at 400,000 euros, encompassing 26 works by 18 artists for Reina Sofía. Esteve Reig stands out as the youngest in this group, which also includes emblematic names such as Joaquin Torres-García, Marisa González, and Rosa Torérez, alongside emergent talents like Damián Uglea and Karlos Martínez. The package reflects extensive research conducted over the past three years and underscores the ongoing effort to broaden the museum’s contemporary holdings.
The video work in question runs eight and a half minutes and was acquired by the ministry in two versions, with one channel and two screens. The piece uses a vertical format to show performers recording their own videos, while slow motion is employed to counter the rapid scroll of online consumption and to offer a more contemplative viewing experience.
Esteve Reig believes that her current Thyssen-Bornemisza solo show may have helped draw attention to the new directions in her practice. The artist notes that the reception could have gone differently without the contemporary framing of the exhibition, and she looks forward to continued dialogue with audiences. The overall feedback from the show was positive, and she welcomed the reception with a sense of momentum for future projects.
In Madrid’s ARCO context, the fair also featured other significant works with a combined value reaching into the hundreds of thousands of euros, including pieces by Eusebio Sempere that demonstrate the fair’s broad spectrum of contemporary art. This broader market activity complements Reina Sofía’s growing commitment to acquiring pioneering works that reflect the current generation’s concerns and aesthetics.