The magic of hope. A bridge between reality and perception

The 4th Floor of the CentroCentro cultural space is hosting an exhibition from 1 July to 11 October, which is part of the ONCE Foundation’s 10th Contemporary Art Biennial, a celebration marking two decades of commitment to creation, accessibility and inclusion. In this edition, the central theme is hope, which serves as a guiding thread for reflection into how we perceive, build and transform reality through art. The exhibition brings together more than 30 artists with and without disabilities from diverse backgrounds, confirming the role of the ONCE Foundation as a driving force for cultural inclusion. Works such as ILUSIÓN by Boa Mistura, created in conjunction with workers at the ONCE Foundation, symbolise the community spirit of this edition, while pieces like Mirada by Daniel Canogar, or the works by Cristina García Rodero, Joan Fontcuberta, Carlos Garaicoa, Marina Vargas and Isidro López Aparicio open dialogues on memory, truth and representation. The Biennial also incorporates a core group of artists linked to Debajo del Sombrero (a platform for artistic creation, methodological research and career development for artists, which is aimed at people with intellectual disabilities) and other inclusive creation projects, as well as creators who have participated in previous editions of the Biennial. Their projects, ranging from the graphic universes of Jaime Martínez Alonso to the metamorphoses of José Manuel Egea or the textile sensitivity of Marina Solana, showcase how hope enables us to inhabit reality, organise the experience and build our own worlds through aesthetic and functional diversity. The ONCE Foundation's 10th Contemporary Art Biennial is an invitation to look again: to discover how art turns hope into a space for getting together, reflection and a shared future, confirming that creativity and inclusion are forces that are able to build a more plural and sensitive world. Image Credit: Boa Mistura. Image of the word Ilusión (Hope), made at the Boa Mistura workshop by ONCE Foundation workers.