arrow_back Back to all stories
article news calendar_today Wednesday, May 6, 2026

A new foundation for contemporary art has been born in Spain. Collector Gabriel Calparsoro told us about it

In Spagna è nata una nuova fondazione per l’arte contemporanea. Il collezionista Gabriel Calparsoro ce l’ha raccontata

The Calparsoro Foundation, a new contemporary art foundation, has been launched in Spain by collector Gabriel Calparsoro. Its inaugural event was the presentation of Isaac Julien's video installation "Once Again … (Statues never die)" at the Museo Lazaro Galdiano in Madrid. The foundation aims to share Calparsoro's private collection of around 180 works, which focuses on North American and international artists addressing political and social issues related to ethnic and gender minorities.

This development matters because it highlights the evolving role of private collectors as active bridges between artists, institutions, and the public in Spain. Calparsoro, who prefers to remain discreet, represents a new model of philanthropy that combines personal passion for art with social activism, including his involvement with Act Up. The foundation's donation of works to the Museo Reina Sofia further signals a growing trend of private collections supporting public institutions.