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The Juan March Foundation is hosting an exhibition on the history of contemporary sculpture from the notion of scale from 31 March to 2 July.  It is an exhibition that extends the Half a Century of Sculpture (1900-1945) exhibition held by the Foundation in 1981 in terms of time and space.

On this occasion, scale, which is not limited to the minimised size or the enlargement of objects, has been essential for the development of sculpture by means of contemporary sculptural practices.  In this way, the exhibition starts with a brief reflection on the effects of the Second World War on a series of artists, and how their conception of sculptural space has become a refuge.

Later on, the different acceptances of the notion of scale will be developed, in order to show that it is this resource that has given free rein to develop new ways of creating and regarding sculpture in the second half of the 20th century.

This exhibition, echoing some of the most relevant changes, such as the expansion of its traditional field, the abandonment of the museum and exhibition space, the loss of the proximity to performance, among others, goes beyond the exhibition hall, occupying other spaces of the building, such as outdoor gardens and the surrounding streets. This all works as a lens to show the audience how scale expands the limits of sculpture.

Image Credits:

• Thomas Schütte. Westkunst Modelle 1:20 [Models of Western Art 1:20], 1980. Private Collection. © Thomas Schütte, VEGAP, Madrid, 2023
• Dan Graham. Clinic for a Suburban Site, 1978. Courtesy of the artist and the Marian Goodman Gallery, Paris. © Dan Graham
• Stephan Balkenhol. Säule/Mensch; Säule/Stier; Säule/Löwe; Säule/Vogel [Pillar/human; pillar/bull; pillar/lion; pillar/bird], 1990. Lehmbruck Museum, Duisburg. © Stephan Balkenhol, VEGAP, Madrid, 2023