Collecting Japanese contemporary art in Spain: The case of Alfonso González-Calero

Abstract

This essay aims to analyze the development of the Japanese contemporary art collection owned by Alfonso González-Calero (Madrid, 1958), taking as a starting point certain life circumstances which have led to its formation. González-Calero is a Project Appraisal and Evaluation Engineer, art critic, curator and gallerist. His career in the world of art commenced at an early age, curating his first exhibition at the age of nineteen. In addition, his interest in art grew during the eighties, when he acquired his first work of art. At that time, there were new exhibition spaces, museums of contemporary art as well as the first international contemporary art fair in Spain (ARCO), which allowed Spanish collectors to learn about the new national and international trends in the art world, and among them Japanese proposals. As a result, the number of foreign artists who chose our country as a destination increased, and among them there were Japanese artists such as Michiko Totoki, who helped Alfonso González-Calero to immerse himself in Japanese culture. Later, by chance, he met the curator of Japanese art Hideki Minematsu, with whom he created the group Non Stop, formed by Japanese artists from many different disciplines, that aimed to surpass traditional art and show their work abroad, and thus in Spain.

As a consequence of all these circumstances, Alfonso González-Calero has an extensive collection of Japanese contemporary art, being one of the most important collectors of this type of art in Spain.