The 7th Catalina D’Anglade Art Award, which is one of the most innovative art support projects in the Spanish art scene, was given on Thursday 7th March 2024 at ARCOmadrid, in the presence of its director Maribel López. In this edition, the award has been granted to the Catalan artist Susana Solano (Barcelona, 1946) with her work Kapokier (1997). She uses this piece to question the traditional horizontality of sculpture, by way of wire mesh and clamps, arranged in organic shapes, which appears to be trying to rise up from the ground. In doing so the sculpture acquires a new three-dimensional perspective.
About this year’s winner, Catalina D’Anglade says: “She is a fabulous reference for a whole generation of younger artists. A significant number of sculptors have found the inspiration in her work to experiment with materials too. She is part of our artistic heritage with a relevance for today.” “This award goes not only to me. I share it with everyone who creates art I am delighted to have been given this award after so many years working in silence. And being approached by young artists who tell me how my work inspires them is incredibly rewarding. I do not consider myself an artist, just a creator,” says Susana Solano.
Previous editions of the Award were won by Fernanda Fragateiro (2017), who created poetic sculpture shelves; Secundino Hernández (2018), who submitted a collection of lamps that transformed his brush strokes into three dimensions; Luis Gordillo (2019), who moved his characteristic drawings onto a previously unused medium; Steegmann Mangrané (2020), who designed a chandelier made up of seven brass oil lamps; June Crespo, who created a seat made from concrete with interchangeable cushions; and Ester Partegàs, who designed a mirror with photographs of bread crumbs that produced a lunar effect.