Ibero-American Exhibition Series 'A Media Lumbre' Explores Traditional Materials and Ancestral Knowledge

The exhibition series 'A Media Lumbre' presents works by Ibero-American artists engaging with historically undervalued materials like clay, natural fibers, wool, textiles, and embroidery. Organized across four autonomous exhibitions in Valencia, Mallorca, Aragón, and Catalonia, the project runs from February to December 2026. It begins at the IVAM (Valencian Institute of Modern Art) in Valencia from February 18 to June 14, 2026, then moves to Casal Solleric and Es Baluard Museu in Palma de Mallorca from July to September 2026, followed by CDAN in Huesca and Museu TERRA in L'Espluga de Francolí from October to December 2026. The exhibition emphasizes sustainable practices, using natural materials and minimizing international transport. Artists include Ana Laura Aláez, Pilar Albarracín, Sonia Navarro, Susana Cámara Leret, Antonio Fernández Alvira, Belén Rodríguez, Josefina Guilisasti, Nuria Riaza, Cecilia Jurado Chueca, Glenda León, and Julie C. Fortier. Their works integrate ancestral techniques and oral traditions, focusing on themes like memory, territory, and ecological balance. For instance, Sonia Navarro uses esparto grass in collaborative pieces with women from Blanca, Murcia, while Susana Cámara Leret incorporates hop plant ashes into ceramic tiles. The project aims to preserve non-hegemonic knowledge linked to craft, indigenous practices, and rural life, challenging hierarchies between art and craft. It also features sound elements, with some works incorporating audio recordings or exploring oral transmission as a memory vehicle.