25%

The 25% project, a new work from visual artist Francesc Torres and filmmaker Mercedes Álvarez curated by Jordi Balló, will represent Catalonia at the 55th edition of the Venice Biennale of Art, to be held from 1 June to 24 November.  This project’s curatorial proposal departs from a reflection on the role of art in the situation of systemic crisis in which we are immersed. Originating from an original idea by Francesc Torres and developed by Jordi Balló, the 25% project has a diverse authorship.

Eight people out of work covering the widest possible social spectrum (a Senegalese man engaged in recycling, a young, overqualified architect, a scientific researcher, a metallurgy worker over 50 years of age, and so on) have been photographed by Francesc Torres as he lived alongside them for one to two weeks. During this period, the artist documented their daily lives, and he has made a large-scale portrait of each of them.

They were asked to provide an object from home (a painting, a figure, a reproduction, etc.) that held emotional significance for them. Finally, they each visited the MACBA individually, choosing a work from the museum’s permanent collection and explaining why they had selected it. This foray into the museum was filmed by filmmaker Mercedes Álvarez and will go on to form part of the installation together with Francesc Torres’ photographs and the two objects selected by each subject, one from among his or her possessions and one from the MACBA’s collection.

Exhibition:
June 1st – November 24th
10 am – 6 pm, closed on Mondays (except June 3rd and Nov. 18th)