Blanca de la Torre

Blanca de la Torre understands curatorship as a critical practice of expanded character, a device to think and rethink positions, to generate knowledge and call for action. She believes that discourses must go hand in hand with attitudes and ways of doing, and when the ecosocial crisis is approached only from the contents, without an mechanism that supports its coherence, the message is deactivated.

For this reason, her research addresses the climate and ecosocial crisis from a theoretical-practical line, which implies that the discourses go in line with pragmatic plans that provide greater coherence to such contents. This has led her to develop guidelines and sustainability plans that accompany her projects and have become her curatorial signature.

This has also been the approach given to the 15th Biennial, where ecology is approached in a holistic and interconnected way, accompanied by a Decalogue of Sustainability.

It is also for this reason that this is a smaller edition, where the idea of degrowth is evident, with 67% of female artists, with fewer spaces and all close to enjoy the visit by walking.

From the beginning, guidelines have been established to continue taking care of the ecological footprint throughout the life cycle of the entire project. The shipment of works has been reduced to a minimum, most of them are produced in situ, prioritizing local materials and environmentally friendly processes, collaboration with artisans and working with the community, avoiding polluting materials and reusing materials and exhibition devices. A waste plan has also been developed and most of the materials will have a second life through donations to communities - wood, metals, fabrics, structures - and the few that will be discarded will be biodegradable.

Her intention has been to develop a Biennial that represents a shift and a transition to other ways of producing and consuming culture and knowledge.

The curator holds a degree in Art History from the Universidad de León and a Master's degree in Exhibition Space Design from the Centro Superior de Arquitectura de la Fundación Antonio Camuñas de Madrid (CEU), as well as a PhD from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

Until 2009, she developed exhibitions in cities such as New York, Prague, London and Madrid. From 2009 to 2014, she worked as curator, conservator and responsible for exhibitions and projects at ARTIUM, Centro-Museo Vasco de Arte Contemporáneo (Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain). Subsequently, she has curated exhibitions in international museums and art centers, highlighting: MoCAB, Museum of Contemporary Art in Belgrade, Serbia; Salzburger Kunstverein, Salzburg, Austria; among others.

(From press information.
Translation from Spanish: Universes in Universe.
© Photo: Courtesy of Fundación Municipal Bienal de Cuenca)