Figures of subsidiary production in Spanish contemporary art

Abstract

Introduction: The objective of this work is to evaluate the relevance of subsidiary production in plastic art in Spain. An activity scarcely studied and recognized. Methodology: The study follows the qualitative research criteria outlined in the in-depth and semi-structured interview. The consultation with four art producers covers five items grouped into two thematic blocks; the relationship with the artist, the relationship with the work. Results: They show the close relationships between artists and manufacturers, consolidated over time and commercially based, which appear to be indispensable to addressing a production of artistic quality and technological complexity. Discussions: It is framed in the context of the consequences of the technologization of art and the interdependence between creativity and the market and the prominence of technical mediations in the construction of artistic reputation. Conclusions: The importance and relevance of these figures is manifested in how the activity of these technicians substantially affects the work of fundamental artists of our artistic panorama such as, for example, Juan Muñoz, Miquel Barceló, Cristina Iglesias, or artists from younger generations such as Dionisio Gonzalez, Jacobo Castellanos, Carlos Irijalba, among others.