Discover 'Conexiones en la Colección Telefónica': An Exhibition Exploring Art, Technology, and History from the Collection

This exhibition explores the surprising connections between formal, conceptual, and aesthetic relationships found within the Telefónica Collection. It brings together diverse pieces from their art collection, technological heritage, and historical archives to create new dialogues and perspectives.

The exhibition 'Conexiones en la Colección Telefónica' aims to create a surprising container for converging formal, conceptual, or aesthetic relationships among the holdings of the Telefónica Collection. It presents for the first time three main areas of the collection – the Art Collection, the Technological Heritage, and the Historical Archive – jointly, establishing dialogues and connecting ideas. This allows for a contemplation of this immense patrimonial richness from a new perspective. The exhibition poses questions such as the relationship between a Cubist painting by Juan Gris and an early 20th-century telegraph receiver, or between the work of Shirin Neshat and a 1928 switchboard, illustrating how the modernity of telecommunications and the importance of the voice in human expression exemplify connections between art, technology, and history. With nearly 200 pieces, the exhibition delves into a network of relationships spanning the company's vast artistic, technological, and historical holdings. It features 90 artworks from the art collection, 36 from the technological heritage, and 50 from the archive. Highlights include works by internationally recognized artists like Juan Gris, Antoni Tàpies, and Eduardo Chillida, alongside unique pieces from Telefónica's technological heritage, such as a 1926 short-wave radio transmitter and a 1913 L. M. Ericsson telephone used for the first communication between Spain and America. The selection also incorporates photographs documenting the construction of the Telefónica building and the installation of early telephone lines. The exhibition is organized into six thematic sections: The Modern City, Communicating with the Invisible, Connecting Continents, Codes and Signs, Incommunication and Breakdowns, and Communicating with Voice and Gesture, all aiming to reread the collection through new perspectives that interweave technological evolution with artistic creation. Fragments from the Revista TELOS complement the exhibition's discourse.

Entry to the exhibition is free and does not require advance booking. Guided tours are available on Tuesdays at 17:00, Fridays at 12:00, and Sundays at 12:00, with prior reservation required. Reservations for guided tours can be made through Eventbrite.