Nadia Arroyo will be the new cultural director of Fundación MAPFRE

As of 2019, Nadia Arroyo will be the new cultural director at Fundación MAPFRE in Madrid. She will be replacing Pablo Jiménez Burillo, who announced at a press meeting last week that he would be retiring after 30 years and over 500 curated exhibitions at the museum.

 Jiménez was the first to bring a permanent exhibition space for photography to the museum, and championed the once-undervalued world of nineteenth century Spanish painting, bringing the gallery to the forefront of the art world in Spain. Arroyo is currently Head of Exhibitions at the Fundación MAPFRE.

“It’s a great challenge, I’ve been very close with Pablo for the last 12 years,” she said. “When I started, the Fundacion it wasn’t as big as it is now. It will be a challenge to maintain the prestige of the MAPFRE, and its high calibre of exhibitions.

“My intention is to follow the path that we have established over the course of the last three decades, and to maintain our national and international profile. I am approaching this challenge with enthusiasm for the future and confidence in our outstanding team.”

The retiring director’s final photographic exhibition at the MAPFRE is a major retrospective of Spanish photographer Humberto Rivas – the largest presentation of his work to date. Jiménez said, “I am happy to close my time at the MAPFRE with this exhibition, which has a very important place in the history of photography and to the people of Spain.”

Future programming for photography at the MAPFRE includes the first-ever retrospective of American photographer Anthony Hernandez, showing over 160 photographs shot over 45 years, and a presentation of Berenice Abbott’s portraits of New York City. Later in the year, three Dubliners – photographer Eamonn Doyle, designer Niall Sweeney, and composer David Donohue – will collaborate on a group exhibition combine image, sound, and design.

The retrospective of Humberto Rivas will be on show till 05 January. Anthony Hernandez will run from 29 January till 12 May, Berenice Abbott from 03 June till 25 August and Eamonn Doyle’s exhibition will begin 24 September till 26 January. https://www.fundacionmapfre.org

© Anthony Hernandez / Beverly Hills #3
© Humberto Rivas
© Humberto Rivas
© Berenice Abbott
Marigold Warner

Deputy Editor

Marigold Warner worked as an editor at BJP between 2018 and 2023. She studied English Literature and History of Art at the University of Leeds, followed by an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London. Her work has been published by titles including the Telegraph Magazine, Huck, Elephant, Gal-dem, The Face, Disegno, and the Architects Journal.