Student-curated exhibition brings Fundación ARCO collection to IE Tower
The exhibition is part of IE Arts & Culture Lab, a practice-based academic initiative that connects students with leading cultural institutions through real-world projects.
IE School of Humanities yesterday presented an exhibition of seven works from the Fundación ARCO Collection, curated by undergraduate students at IE University. The exhibition can be visited over the coming weeks on the 22nd floor of IE Tower, IE University’s sustainable, technology-driven campus in Madrid.
The exhibition is part of IE Arts & Culture Lab, a practice-based academic initiative that connects students with leading cultural institutions through real-world projects. The works on display were previously shown at the Museo CA2M Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo and will remain on loan from Fundación ARCO Collection until February 25.
The opening event brought together Maribel López, Director of ARCO; Daniel Valtueña, Director of the IE Arts & Culture Lab and Adjunct Professor at IE School of Humanities; and the students who led the initiative from its conceptual framework to its final execution.
The exhibition features works by Arnulf Rainer (Totengesicht, 1985), Jack Strange (You can’t get lost if you don’t know where you are, 2010), Walid Raad (We decided to let them say “We are convinced” twice, 2005), Albano Afonso (Autorretrato con Dürer, 2001), Artur Barrio (Intrínseco, 1973–2007), Armando (Kopf, 1991), and Sandra Cinto (Untitled, 2006). Together, these works challenge established visual narratives and encourage critical engagement with contemporary artistic languages.
By hosting this exhibition at IE Tower, IE University reaffirms its commitment to integrating the arts and humanities into campus life, transforming the university into a space for cultural exchange, experimentation, and dialogue.
"This exhibition reflects our commitment to innovative and experiential learning, placing students at the center of real curatorial practice while fostering meaningful dialogue with leading cultural institutions", said Catalina Tejero, Dean of IE School of Humanities. "Through this initiative, we reinforce our vision of the campus as a living cultural space—one that encourages critical thinking, creativity, and meaningful engagement with the arts", she added.
"The ARCO Foundation is particularly proud to share its collection with the IE School of Humanities and its programme, which allows students to learn about the real workings of contemporary cultural institutions", said Maribel López. "The Fundación ARCO Collection is a living reflection of contemporary art and the art market, and we trust that working with its contents has been of interest to the students", she added.