Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid Launches Contemporary Art Program with TBA21

The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid will host a contemporary art exhibition program following an agreement between Carmen Cervera and Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, ending a decade-long family feud. The dispute centered on management of the baron's art collection. Francesca von Habsburg (formerly Thyssen-Bornemisza) founded TBA21 in 2002, based in Vienna since 2012. A decade ago, she proposed a contemporary art exhibition requiring removal of the modern art section, which the board rejected. The first collaboration is the exhibition "Purple" by John Akomfrah (born 1957, Ghana), curated by TBA21 to celebrate the museum's 25th anniversary. The immersive installation addresses climate change and rising sea levels, using archival footage and footage shot in French Polynesia. It opened during ARCo, Madrid's contemporary art fair. The museum plans annual contemporary art shows during ARCo, curated by TBA21.