Celia Díez, Miguel López Remiro and Carlos Chocarro. PHOTO: loaned

"It is a transversal forum both in its format and in the profile of its speakers and attendees, and this makes visible the university nature of our Museum". This is how Carlos Chocarro defined the Contemporary Art Collecting Forum, the first teaching activity of Museo Universidad de Navarra. The presentation of this event to the media took place today at the Palacio de Arazuri, one of the two venues where the seminar will be held.

Carlos Chocarro, professor at the School of Architecture of the University of Navarra and scientific coordinator of the Forum, explained that the transversality and multidisciplinarity is assured because this meeting involves the celebration of a seminar, the installation of an exhibition of video works and the edition of a publication; that is, teaching, dissemination and research, all in one event, which aims to analyze the phenomenon of contemporary art collecting. In addition to this multiple format, the other enriching element will be its attendees, of diverse profiles, experience and specialties: collectors, museum directors, gallery owners, artists, academics, doctoral students and university students from different faculties. Their contributions and vision will give a global sense to collecting.

For his part, Miguel López-Remiro, director of Museo Universidad de Navarra, stressed that the donation of two major collections has been the real trigger for the launching of the Museum project. "This forum is further proof of our deep gratitude," he said, and "it also shows the great social contribution that a collector makes when his private collection makes the leap into the public sphere". In his speech, he announced that before the opening of the Museum, four other forums are planned: the one presented today on collecting, and another one on art criticism before the end of 2012. In 2013 will be held those dedicated to education and didactics and museography."We want to open the building in 2014 having held a training activity for each of our core audiences."

The last to speak was Celia Díez, art critic at EXIT EXPRESS magazine and resident in Naples (Italy), and one of the moderators at the seminar tables."From the proposal I received from Museo Universidad de Navarra I found the approach interesting, since the forum was intended from the beginning to show how the construction of a collection is done with personality and meaning."

Seminar program (link to pdf).

Further information