PALMA DE MALLORCA.- Oscar Seco and Mateo Maté create contemporary interpretations of the Nativity Scene on the tenth anniversary of Can Marqués.

Every year, Can Marques celebrates the Mediterranean tradition of displaying a nativity scene in homes and churches during the Christmas season, by commissioning an international artist to create his / her contemporary interpretation.

To celebrate its tenth anniversary, Can Marqués will present an exhibition of its entire collection of contemporary nativity scenes which includes works by a selection of emerging as well as established international artists.

1999 Rafa Forteza, Gloria Más, Sineu, Joan Sastre, Pep Llambías, Biel March
2000 Pep Guerrero
2001 Bárbara Juan
2002 Ramón Company
2003 Agatha Ruiz de la Prada
2004 Faustino Aizkorbe
2005 Dionisio González
2006 Joana Vasconcelos
2007 Martín & Sicilia
2008 Mateo Maté y Oscar Seco

Can Marques is a historic palace situated in the old town centre of Palma de Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain), with a history which spans over seven hundred years. In 1998 it was converted into a museum by Nieves Barber, founder of the project and one of the foremost patrons of emerging art in Spain.

Each year, Barber invites a selection of artists from the international scene to produce site specific pieces, gathering inspiration and connecting with its historic legacy.

The commissions fall within the following three categories:

Ausencia de Presente (September - November) This biannual project aims to look beyond the artistic practices which are currently on show in contemporary art galleries, biennales and art fairs, in order to concentrate on the thematic preoccupations, artistic discourses and visual - acoustic languages of a new generation of artists. The exhibition is a rare opportunity to become familiar with a new generation of artistic practices in the making.

Belenes para el siblo XXI (December - January) Every year, Can Marqués celebrates the Mediterranean tradition of displaying the nativity scene in churches and houses for guests to visit, by commissioning an artist to create his / her contemporary interpretation.

El Corpus Efímero (June - July) Every year, Can Marqués celebrates this religious tradition, by inviting prominent artists to create their personal interpretation of this religious tradition. These commissions tend to focus on time based media including performance and video.

Many of the pieces produced are incorporated into its contemporary art collection which currently includes works by:: Yara El-Sherbini, Toni Amengual, Teresa Matas, Ramón Company, Rafa Forteza, Pep Llambías, Pep Guerrero, Pedro Vidal, Oscar Seco, Mateo Maté, Martín y Sicilia, Maria Uribe, Maria Glyka, Katie Paterson, José Luís Lopez Moral, Joana Vasconcelos, Joan Sastre, Joan Ramis "Sineu", Gloria Más, Fernando Mesquita, Faustino Aizkorbe, Fabian Shalekamp, Dionisio Gonzalez, Biel March, Bárbara Juan, Antonio Camba, Amparo Sard, Almudena Tabeada, Ahmad Nadalian, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.